The Witch Hidden in the Leaf
by CarlitaM
Summary: Feeling betrayed, Unspeakable Hermione Granger leaves England for the mysterious Elemental Countries. There she meets Naruto, an orphan boy who introduces her to the person who will change her life: Elite Jounin Hatake Kakashi. Rated T for future content.
1. Hermione Takes Her Leave

After a rather long absence I find that I have the itch to publish a story once again. This time, it's a crossover HP/Naruto. The story is a Kakashi/Hermione pairing, though it will be some time in coming. I have about 25k words already written, but I will be working this and On Her Majesty's Magical Service at the same time, so updates will be relatively slow, not to mention that I am now married and living in a completely different country, so that takes a lot out of my day as well. Without further ado, I give you…

The Disclaimer: I own nothing. Harry Potter and Naruto are property of JK Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto, respectively. Kudos to them.

Now, for real this time. I give you…

* * *

**The Witch Hidden In the Leaves**

**Chapter 1: Hermione Takes her Leave**

"You… you… BASTARD!" Hermione's scream tore the silence of the cold December evening.

"Her…Hermione! What are you doing here?!" Her husband was looking at her with eyes wide as saucers, his hands still wrapped around the girl who seemed to be torn between shock and confusion.

"What am _I_ doing—what are _you_ doing! I take time off to be able to come back early to celebrate _our anniversary_ and find you making out with some—with some girl! _On my couch!_"

"I thought you'd be home late today again!"

"And that's an excuse for _cheating_! I can't believe you! OUT! Get out of my house, now! Expect my lawyer to contact you about our divorce during the week." Ron wasted no time in gathering his things, which included his flannel shirt that had found his way to the floor and high tailing it out of the house. The girl, Demelza Robins, Hermione's brain supplied, was a little slower. "What do you want?" She said harshly.

"I—I'm sorry Hermione," she started and then plunged on before Hermione could interrupt. "If I'd—He told me you guys weren't together anymore. If I had known I never would have done this. I—you were always there for me back in school, so I just—just wanted you to know that." Deflated, Hermione watched her go. He'd told the girl they weren't together anymore. Somehow, that made it worse. She looked up to the mantelpiece to see a picture of her and Ron on a rollercoaster. She'd taken both her boys there after the war. A day out in the muggle world, just the three of them. No cameras, no reporters, no gawking.

Ron had asked her to marry him after that ride.

Her wand was in her hand and before she knew it, the picture frame had been blasted to pieces. All other pictures of her and Ron suffered the same fate. The gaudy vase he'd given her, filled with the most horrendous flowers ever, for Christmas a few days ago followed suit. Her rage spent, she curled up into a ball in the middle of her sitting room… and cried.

That's how Ginny and Luna found her the next morning. Curled up in a ball, her face streaked by dried tears, having exhausted herself into a fitful sleep.

"Hermione? Hermione, wake up." She was being shaken lightly.

"Go 'way…"

"Hermione, come on, wake up." The voice said again.

"Nooo…" She moaned softly.

"Hermione, Professor McGonagall's class is starting in five minutes, you're gonna be late!" Another voice interrupted. She bolted upright, barely missing Ginny's head on her way up. Luna smiled. "Works every time…"

She looked confusedly at her two friends. Then her gaze landed on one of the broken picture frames and everything came rushing back to her. She let out a half broken sob.

"Hermione?"

"Go away."

"No. We're not leaving until you explain what you were doing sleeping in the middle of the floor."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Too bad. You don't have a choice. Luna, get her to the shower, I'll get started on breakfast. We'll talk over coffee." Not having the energy to argue, she let herself be led to the shower, where after assuring Luna she could get undressed on her own, she was left to her own devices. Fifteen minutes later, her long hair dripping wet down her back, she stumbled into her kitchen where a cup of coffee was handed to her by a concerned redhead.

"Talk." Sensing she wasn't being given a choice, she slowly spilled the story over to the girls. How she'd come back early as a surprise for Ron on their anniversary. How she'd found him playing tonsil hockey with Demelza, and what the girl had said before she left. When she was done, she looked up to see Luna staring at her with that half-vacant expression of hers, while Ginny was fuming.

"That git. No worries, Hermione, after I'm done with him he won't be able to walk straight for a week. Just you wait, we've got you covered." She didn't have it in her to respond. She just sipped her coffee quietly. "Luna, stay with her. I'll get this straightened out."

Her lack of response worried the girls. The Hermione they knew would have forbidden them to interfere. Hell, they wouldn't have needed to, Ronald wouldn't have been able to walk for a month.

In a flare of green flames, Ginny flooed back to The Burrow, where her brother had probably escaped to. She knew he wasn't at Harry's because he wasn't there when she had been woken up by Luna had found her in the morning insisting that they go and see Hermione. She hadn't given a reason, just that they needed to go, and by now, Ginny had grown used to Luna's oddities and didn't really questions things like that anymore.

"Hi, Mum. Ron around?"

"Hello Ginny. Yes, he's crashing in his old room. Poor boy. Came back late last night, told us Hermione had come home and kicked him out of their flat."

Ginny stopped. "Kicked him out, huh? Did he say why?"

"Well… he said he had a friend over and Hermione overreacted. Said he couldn't be inviting friends over without her say so. Bit harsh, if you ask me." So Ronald hadn't told. By the looks of it, he'd let their mum think it was a male friend, even. She could work with this. "Do you need him for something?"

"Oh, it's alright. I'll wait until he comes down." She settled herself on the kitchen table and accepted the mug of coffee her Mum handed her. She made good coffee, but her mum's was… something else. Five minutes later, he appeared, still rubbing the sleep off his eyes. He froze when he saw her, but when she made no move towards him, he relaxed and settle himself on the table, where his mother put a plateful of eggs and bacon in front of him.

"How are you feeling, dear?"

"'m better, Mum. Thanks for letting me stay here last night."

"Oh, dear, it's alright. You'll always have a home here, don't you worry."

"Mum told me Hermione kicked you out, Ron. What happened?" Ginny said with false cheeriness. Ron didn't catch it, but her Mum did. She looked at her oddly.

He choked on his coffee. "Oh… ah. Um. I had a friend over and she flipped. Said she was tired and how dare I invite someone without her say so. Barmy."

Ginny ground her teeth. She couldn't believe him! How dare he try and make Hermione the one in the wrong here! Still, if she wanted her mother even more furious with him, she had to play along. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"I know, right? Mental, that one. Always coming home late, and then she flips because I invite people over to keep me company. But I'm done with her, Gin."

"Good for you, Ronnie. You don't need a woman like that in your life."

Ginny ignored her mother and looked directly at Ron. "Yes, I imagine you are. After all, having your wife walk in on you without a shirt while making out on her couch with a girl who's not yet out of school on your anniversary does tend to end marriages rather quickly." She took another sip of her coffee and watched the fireworks go off. Sending a Bat-Bogey Hex his way might have been satisfying, but watching their mother ripping him a new one, not only for cheating but for lying as unashamedly as he had, was way better. Making a note of asking Professor McGonagall for access to Dumbledore's pensieve later to show Hermione, she drained the cup and grabbed another toast from the plate.

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

Back at her place, Hermione was still staring blankly into her now cool cup of coffee. Her husband's betrayal kept running through her mind. The last in a long string of bad things that had happened to her in the five years since the war had ended. First, the news that her parent's memory could not be restored. The knowledge that even after everything their damn society had barely made any progress towards equality in rights regarding muggleborns and other magical beings. Sure, the discrimination wasn't as blatant as before, but it was still there.

Something broke inside her. She didn't know quite what it was, but the sense of loss it left behind told her it was something important. She felt hollow. And with that thought, she suddenly knew what she had to do. She had to leave.

Luna watched the expression on her friend's face and recognized the moment when Hermione realized she had to leave. She had known this, of course, had suspected it for weeks now, but knew the moment she told them of Ron's betrayal that Hermione wouldn't be able to stay. She was sad for her friend. Leaving her life behind like this, her Transfiguration and Ancient Runes masteries almost done, her career in the Department of Mysteries, her friends who would miss her. She wished she could help. Hermione's soft, broken voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I have to leave."

"I know," she responded.

"I don't know where I should go."

"We'll figure something out. My father travelled a lot, as you know, even if he prefers to stay at home and manage the Quibbler now. I'm sure he can suggest something."

"Are you sure he won't mind?"

"Of course not, Hermione. You are my friend, and more than that, I owe you my life. He'll be happy to." A quick note to Ginny in case she came back before they did and two pinches of floo powder later saw them arriving at the Rook.

The Rook was the Lovegood's ancestral home, now inhabited by the only two Lovegood's left: Luna and her dad, who was currently sitting at the kitchen table nursing a cup of…something.

"Hey Dad," said Luna cheerily.

"Hello, my pumpkin seed. And Miss Granger, I see! What brings you lovely ladies to our humble abode so early in the morning?"

"Well, Daddy, Hermione here has been hurt very badly recently and would like to take a break from magical Britain and we were wondering if you had any suggestion as to where she might go."

Xenophilius studied Hermione with a critical eye. After a minute or so of this he got up and disappeared down the hallway. Hermione and Luna followed him silently. He entered a room on the right which turned out to be his study. From there he took out a journal and passed it on to her daughter. Luna opened it and, on seeing the title looked up at her father, startled.

"Are you sure, Daddy? The Elemental Countries?"

"Quite sure, pumpkin seed. What she needs, she'll find there." He looked up to Hermione, who still hadn't said anything. "I'll draft a letter for you to take to my old friend Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. You'll be welcome there."

All Hermione could do was mutter a quick thanks before Luna grabbed her by the hand and led her to the sitting room so they could floo back to Hermione's flat. She had a lot to pack.

Ginny came in later and found Hermione's flat in disarray. Things were floating through the air, being shrunk and stored into different boxes, some labeled "travel" some labeled "storage".

"What's going on here?"

"I'm leaving."

"What?! Hermione, you can't leave! Don't let what my prat of a brother did make you leave!"

"It's not just that, Gin. It's everything, I just… I just need a break." Seeing the amount of pain in her friend's eyes, she could only nod.

"What do you need?"

"Could you get Harry?" Ginny nodded and flooed back to her and Harry's home. She was back a few minutes later with a frazzled looking Harry who had been informed of Hermione's intentions on the way. While he didn't agree with her wanting to leave and was extremely furious with Ron, he understood Hermione's decision. He had certainly wanted to take a vacation of the magical world more than once. Maybe he'd join Hermione wherever she was going for a few weeks later on.

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

"So all I have to do is make contact with this Nakamura Aimi after getting to Kyoto and she'll help me get to the Elemental Countries?" She couldn't help but sound a little skeptical. She was dealing with Xenophilius Lovegood after all.

"Yes, Nakamura-san guards the rift that serves as the entrance to the Elemental Countries. Be sure to tell her you want to go to the Land of Fire, and to make your way to Konohagakure no Sato before you do anything else. This is a dangerous land to be traveling alone in."

"I know how to protect myself," she said, a bit miffed.

"Here, you do. I'm afraid you'll find yourself to be sadly inadequate to go head to head with the chakra users of that land. They are trained warriors, whose sole purpose in life is to be the best, and they start training for that at a very young age. One last thing: what we call magic, they know as part of chakra, the spiritual part, to be specific, and use it in very different ways. For one, they don't use wands or other kinds of physical foci, instead channeling their chakra through hand gestures—seals, and for some of the most advanced ones not even that is necessary. While I know you have more than a passing knowledge of wandless magic, your skills simply won't be up to par for a confrontation with them." Hermione resisted the urge to smirk. While she knew he was referring to her more _public_ skills, no one really knew where she really stood. The training to be an Unspeakable was nothing if not comprehensive and she was quite sure she could kick any Auror's ass and not even work up a sweat. She had been quite pissed off when she realized the standard for Unspeakables and then remembered the fact that they had kept themselves out of the war. They had their reasons, and she came to understand them eventually, but she had still been angry.

Her name being called twice in a row broke her out of her musings, but she tucked the thought to the back of her head. "Miss Granger, were you listening?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lovegood, I got distracted there for a bit. What was the last thing you said?"

"That after you get to Konoha, you should make contact with Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage of the village and give him this letter. It will prove to him that you know me and should smooth the way down for you to be able to settle there, however permanent or not you want that settlement to be." She blushed a bit when she realized he knew she didn't really have intentions of coming back. Sure, she still had some things to do here, and new ideas kept cropping up, but after reading Mr. Lovegood's journal about the Elemental Countries and about shinobi, her heart had been telling her that this was a one way trip and any further visits to magical Britain would be just that: visits.

"Thank you, Mr. Lovegood."

"Nonsense, Miss Granger. And I must insist you call me Xenophilius. Mr. Lovegood makes me feel old."

"Only if you call me Hermione."

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And that is all for this first installment of The Witch Hidden in the Leaf (horrible title, I know, if you have any suggestions, I appreciate it). I'll try to post the rest soon.

Reviews are food for the soul!

Cheers,

C!


	2. Enter Naruto

Hello again, my dear readers! Wow. I must say I am amazed by the response to this story :D *happy dance* For that, you guys get an extra long chapter today (which isn't really all that long, but meh). For those of you also reading On Her Majesty's Magical Service, updates will be slower than this, since I have much less written for that story than this one.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The honor goes to Rowling and Kishimoto.

Without further ado...

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**Chapter 2: Enter Naruto**

Hermione stared at some point behind the old man's shoulder while he read and re-read the letter she had handed him some ten minutes ago. She was still a little unnerved by how much the old man reminded her of Dumbledore. But while Dumbledore had always seemed to be nothing more than a benevolent old man until he dropped the strict control he had on his powerful aura, there was nothing about Sarutobi Hiruzen that gave the idea of harmless. Not even in his old age could one confuse this old man with anything else than a seasoned warrior.

Grumbling something that sounded distinctly like "that crazy mahou user" he sighed and put the letter aside to settle his penetrating gaze on her.

"As I understand from this letter, you seek to settle here in Konoha."

"Yes, sir."

"May I ask why?"

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get by with half-truths and fibs, she decided to come clean. So she told him about the war, her parents and her cheating husband, about a magical society who refused to change even when remaining stagnant was what had caused the war in the first place. Her divorce had come through and now she desired a new beginning, not to mention that the possibility of learning new things in this world which was both a part and apart of her own excited her.

Sensing no lies, and sympathizing with the broken soul in front of him, he decided to allow the girl the chance of a new life. He had, however, like all shinobi, a hidden agenda. He had seen some of what Lovegood-san was capable of, and upon discovering it was the same energy shinobi themselves were capable of using, he had to admit he was intrigued. Some of the stuff would be an asset to Konoha shinobi and would give them a much needed edge over the other villages.

"Very well. Lovegood-san informs me that you are very well off economically and have brought some gold bars to exchange for our local currency. I'll have one of my ANBU escort you to the bank so you may exchange some for ryo while I go through the deeds of some of the unoccupied residences that may suit your purpose. We shall meet back here in two hours." Not a request. Hermione nodded and waited for one of the ANBU who guarded the Hokage to lead her to the bank. She gave an internal chuckle at the thought of being "well off". True, the Ministry had gifted her, and Harry and Ron among others, with quite a sum for her role in the defeat of Voldemort, and her own modest lifestyle and luck while investing had more than tripled said sum. Even when she had married Ron and he had moved into her flat she had managed to manage her spending, something he had always complained about, after having squandered his own settlement in brooms, parties and, she now suspected, women.

A quick trip to the bank later and she was now the proud owner of a Konoha Bank account filled with enough zeros to buy her a house and allow her to live modestly without doing much work for a few years. Not that she would ever not work for a living and just spend that money, but she could do with a vacation. That's what she was here for, wasn't it?

Her ANBU companion had yet to say a word, and she wasn't feeling very talkative, so she enjoyed the silence and took the chance to look around the village. First word that came to mind was quaint, but that wasn't quite it. It had a feel like Hogsmeade, but not really. Walking through the market she could see the shinobi making purchases. She almost stopped cold when she saw a team of three young shinobi carrying groceries. They couldn't be much older than she when she started Hogwarts! From what she recalled from the journal, which she would read again at the first opportunity, only shinobi who had graduated the academy and were thus considered adults wore the hitai-ate with the village symbol.

"Excuse me, ANBU-san?" He made a noise to let her know he was listening. "Just how old are those… shinobi?" She was about to say children, but figured that since they were considered adults, she could at least refer to them as such, even if in her mind they were still children.

"My guess," he said. "Would be between 13 and 14 years old, Mahou-sama. The newest generation won't graduate for at least six months, and most shinobi graduate by the time they are 12. I'd say they are from last year's generation." She nodded in thanks to his response and started following him back to the tower. When they were almost there, they saw a crowd of about 10 people tripping and trying to run after a tiny orange blur that almost knocked Hermione to the ground. The ANBU had, of course, jumped out of the way before the blur could barrel into him. The crowd, who all appeared to have had their legs tied together with some rope were screaming abuse and falling over each other only to get back up trying to get to the one who had pulled the prank. After they were through, Hermione turned to her ANBU escort.

"Is this kind of thing normal?"

"Sometimes. That was Uzumaki Naruto. He's an orphan and a shinobi trainee who enjoys playing pranks on people instead of utilizing his time to train or study."

"Ah." Ah, indeed. Being smarter than most, she could see that the kid's pranks, much like the twins back home, were most likely a cry for attention. She wondered what would make him so desperate for recognition, but on the other hand, most orphans suffered through the same. She had seen that enough in the orphans the war had left behind.

"By your leave, Mahou-sama." The ANBU said, before doing a seal with his hand and vanishing in a swirl of leaves. She entered the tower on her own and settled to wait on the Hokage's secretary's office to be called again. After a few minutes Hermione was shown in to the office once again. She left a copy of her bank statement in front of the Hokage and perched herself on the seat in front of his desk. She noticed the slight widening of his eyes when he read her statement, but made no further comment.

"I've compiled a list of possible properties you might be interested in, Mahou-san, if I may call you that. Your name is quite a mouthful, I must say." He barely waited for her nod of agreement before continuing. "They are all located near the edge of the village, which in case of an attack is a disadvantage, but given what I know of your abilities, I'm quite sure you'll be able to protect your property adequately. Now, these properties," he said, handing her three pieces of paper, each with a photo attached. "Are located near our library. While most of it is inaccessible to civilians, I'm sure we could come to an arrangement where you could share the discoveries of your studies in exchange for permission to study some of the texts only available to shinobi. After all, while not strictly the way we do, you can use chakra yourself."

Smiling at the old man's craftiness, she nodded and studied the three pieces of paper. One was a flat, which she discarded immediately. She wanted a proper house, with a garden and lots of space. Her gaze settled on a property that was just around the corner from the library.

It was a medium sized house, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, an office, kitchen, dining and sitting room. One more room than what she wanted, but she could work with that. It also had a fair amount of land in which she could build a shelter to serve as a potions lab and still have enough room for a garden. The asking price was a bit higher than the other two properties but she could afford it easily. It needed a bit of repair but she could probably handle most of it with her wand and the books on home repair she was already thinking of asking Luna and Ginny to order for her back at home. It would do nicely. She presented her choice to the Hokage who told her he'd contact the owner so they could finalize the transfer. He would direct her to an Inn while they got that settled and the house was made fit for habitation again.

Hours later she was sitting at the table in front of the kind faced chuunin who owned the property she was set on acquiring. His name, the Hokage had told her, was Umino Iruka, and he was the last of his line. The house had belonged to his parents who had died in an attack on the village a little over nine years ago and had fallen in disrepair since he had never had the heart to live there again. He had only put it up for sale around a year ago, but she guessed not many people had use for a house that size.

"The Hokage tells me you are interested in buying the Umino residence, Mahou-san."

She swallowed the bite of ramen she had in her mouth and helped herself to some juice before answering. "Yes, Umino-san. I've recently moved to Konoha and am looking for a residence to suit my needs. Your property is ideally located and has more than enough space for my intentions. As it is, it needs serious work in terms of repair, but I should be able to handle it without much fuss. Hokage-sama told me it used to be your family home?"

A shadow crossed his face, but was gone almost as soon as it appeared. "Yes, Mahou-san. In fact, it has belonged to my family for generations, but I'm the only one left and it is much too big for my taste." Of course, there was also the fact that he couldn't set foot inside the house without feeling the pang of the loss of his family all over again, but he had no reason to tell her that. After they were done with dinner, they settled themselves to the negotiations for the property, during which Hermione learned she could contract a team of genin to help her renovate the house and even build the shelter she wanted on the grounds. This alleviated her concerns over the use of magic to fix it, since she knew wizards weren't really all concerned with how the property ended up looking after magical repairs. She loved the Burrow, but she had to admit she wouldn't want to live in a house that looked like it was only held up by unnatural forces on the outside. After a bit of haggling, both were left happy with the final price, Iruka adding a very sizable sum to his own accounts and Hermione free to start looking for a team to help her do the renovations the next day.

Since it was such a big project, in the end she had to pay for three genin teams who would come around daily for two weeks to do all the work she wanted done on the property. Since it involved low to no risk of injury they were only D ranked missions, which was fine by her, as the higher the rank the more expensive the missions were. The first thing she ordered refurbished was the kitchen and pantry, after which she stocked up on food and beverages and provided the genins and their jounin with lunch. At first, they told her it wasn't necessary, but she insisted on providing them with meals while they worked for her, so they took to her sandwiches and other foreign meals with glee.

After that, it was the main room with its bathroom and the office, where she would disappear while the genin worked on other areas of the house until it was time to make lunch. By the end of the first week, she had moved into the house and had started going round every place in Konoha that sold furniture and other essentials, purchasing whatever struck her fancy and would go well with the vision she had for her new home. Since the house lacked a library she divided her sizable collection between her study, which housed the more esoteric texts under lock, key and wards; and the sitting room, which had a glass pane covered bookcase which spanned the whole north wall. By the end of the two week period, her house was looking almost new and the small shelter that would be her potions lab was finished. She contacted the people who had sold her the furniture she had yet to pick up to have it delivered the next day and settled herself to sleep. It was a good start for a great new life, she mused.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

The next months passed without much fuss, and Hermione settled herself into a routine. She would tour the village in the morning and every three days she would go to the market and buy fresh groceries. When she got back home, she would check on her long-term potions and maybe brew some of the less time consuming ones. She was stocking up on all the healing potions she knew, which were quite a few, intent on maybe starting a business selling them both to shinobi and to the village hospital. She also had a batch of Veritaserum going, which she would gift to the Hokage as thanks for helping her settle in. She was sure he'd find good use for it. After that, she made lunch and on the afternoons, she studied either magic or one of the tomes she had borrowed from the Konoha Library. She was particularly interested in the tomes and scrolls about fuinjutsu since it was very similar to Ancient Runes, the subject she had been getting one of her masteries on. She was actually halfway through her final project, for both Ancient Runes and Transfiguration before she decided to move. So far she'd found that some things possible with fuinjutsu were impossible to replicate with Ancient Runes, and the same applied the other way around. Also, some things possible with both were more effective with one rather than the other.

Finally, the evenings were dedicated to having dinner, usually either leftovers from lunch or take out from one of the many restaurants around Konoha and a bit of light reading. She also made a point of dedicating two evenings a week to work on her masteries and practicing magic in general. She didn't want her hard earned skills to get rusty, after all.

And so Hermione's life in the Elemental Countries started. While she didn't go out much, she enjoyed herself immensely. Time passed and before she knew it, she had been living in Konoha for two years…

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

It was during a warm morning when she was just walking around that she ran into Naruto again. She had not seen him since that morning she arrived, since she barely ever ventured to the Hokage's Tower and she lived on the other side of town from the Academy. The boy had just rounded a corner at top speed while looking back and hadn't seen her, leading to him barreling straight into her, dumping them both into the ground. The villagers who had been chasing him rounded the corner after him and, upon seeing him sprawled over the unlucky witch, started yelling abuse at him.

"You, demon! Get off from Mahou-sama! How dare you!"

Naruto jumped at once off of her and started apologizing at once. He had heard about Mahou-sama, the witch who had moved to Konoha from the Outer Lands. Who hadn't? While she remained a recluse, the rumor-mill had been abuzz for _months_ after she'd arrived. Everyone had at least heard of her, and it seemed most civilians, at least those who minded the shops she frequented, recognized her. Hermione, however, just smiled and assured the concerned citizens she was alright. A wave of her hand had the dirt that now covered her pants and shirt flying away to settle on the ground. Another wave and the dirt covering Naruto, which was much more, followed suit.

"Mahou-sama! Don't concern yourself with the demon! He's no good, I assure you, and not worth your attention," said one of the villagers.

Her temper sharpened when she saw the hurt look the boy had upon hearing those words. "Demon, Sato-san? I see only a child in dire need of a good meal and new clothes. Tell me, what has this boy done to be treated to such a name?"

Sato-san, from whom she got her fresh fruit for the week was about to respond, but thought better of it when he saw her furious expression. While he didn't know the full extent of her abilities, rumor had it she could do things shinobi could only dream of. Information from the outer countries was sketchy at best, but Hermione was not above using such reputation to protect the child. "I'm sorry, Mahou-sama, but the de—the child poured a bucket of glue on Ryo, and then followed with a sack of feathers! My poor Reika will cry when she sees her puppy."

"Is this true?" She asked with a sharp glance at the boy whose head was now bowed.

"Yes, Mahou-sama."

"Then apologize to Sato-san. That is no way to treat a puppy."

"I'm sorry, Sato-san," he mumbled.

"I didn't quite hear that."

"I'm sorry, Sato-san," he repeated a bit louder.

"Good. Now we will accompany Sato-san and undo what you did on his poor puppy. After that, you and I will have a talk, kid." He was about to protest but shut up upon seeing Hermione's gaze.

"Yes, Mahou-sama." The subdued kid followed behind Hermione and Sato-san until they got to his fruit stand. There, he saw something that broke his heart. The puppy, whom he had joyously pranked not half an hour ago, was whining while trying to scratch the feathers he had glued to his fur. There was a red tint in places, where the scratching had obviously drawn blood.

"You see this, kid? This is the consequence of your actions." She waited for him to nod and look properly repentant, which frankly didn't take much before putting the puppy to rights. She whipped out her wand and vanished both the feathers and the glue from the puppy's fur before healing his injuries and conjuring a chew toy. "There you go, Sato-san. Good as new. Now, this won't ever happen again, won't it, kid?" She had to ask the kid his name; she couldn't keep calling him kid, after all.

"No, Mahou-sama."

"Now, I want you to explain to Sato-san why it was that you did this." She noticed that the kid paled at this. Seeing that neither the kid nor the shopkeeper wanted to talk in front of her, she huffed and left the room, but not before tagging a vase with a Listening Spell. She would be able to hear, but they wouldn't know about it. What she heard, though, had her wishing she had stayed so she could tear into Sato-san. Unless he promised the conduct wouldn't be repeated, she certainly wouldn't be buying fruit at his stand anymore. She had no patience for bullies, in whatever size or shape.

"So, de—kid why'd you do that to my Reika's puppy?"

He mumbled something that the shopkeeper didn't quite hear. When asked to repeat, he said it louder. "Cause you didn't wanna sell me fruit last week and then only agreed to sell me some over-ripe pieces at an over-priced rate." Sato-san was floored. Sure, he remembered doing that. He did it all the time, since he didn't like the demon-spawn, but he had never thought that that was the reason he got targeted by his pranks. And now that he thought about it, with Mahou-sama's yell about him being a half starved kid still ringing in his ears and a tiny bit of fear about what the witch would do if she ever found out, he realized he really was a half-starved kid—with a demon inside. And if charging him the correct amount and being willing to sell his produce would make it so he wasn't targeted by the kid's pranks anymore, he was, grudgingly, willing to do that.

"Listen to me, gaki, we'll make a deal. I sell you fresh fruit at the correct price and you don't prank me anymore, got it?" Really, he wasted more money fixing his stand after one of his pranks than what he would loose from overcharging overly ripe fruit. He barely ever came by to buy, anyways. The look of utter joy on the kids face made him feel a little bit bad about it, but on the other hand, the kid was the Kyuubi, the demon that had almost destroyed Konoha eleven years ago. Sending the kid on his way, he turned back to pet his Reika's puppy. He usually didn't have it with him, but today he was due some shots at the Inuzuka Vet Clinic, so he had taken him to work before he swung by there after his work hours. He barely noticed when Hermione walked back into the room.

"If I ever hear of this happening ever again, you'll receive a call from me, Sato-san." He was about to thank her when he realized she wasn't talking about the kid pranking him, but about him overcharging his prices. With a subdued nod, he watched the strange witch walk out of his shop and start making conversation with the kid.

"So, kid, what's your name?"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, Mahou-sama, and I'm going to be Hokage one day, believe it!"

"Really?" She said with a smile as she led them both to a restaurant. They didn't sell any ramen, Naruto knew, which was why he had never eaten here, aside from the fact he probably couldn't afford it. "How big of you, to want to protect all the people of Konoha after the way they treat you."

He tilted his head to the right. He had never really thought about it that way. He only wanted recognition. He told her so and watched how she frowned at his admission. "But, Naruto-kun, isn't the job of the Hokage to protect his people and lead Konohagakure no Sato into being the strongest Hidden Village? Why would you want to be Hokage if not for that? You can get recognition doing other things." He thought deeply on this. She was right, as Hokage, he was to protect the people. People that treated him like trash. And yet, his desire didn't change. He had precious people in Konoha he wanted to protect. There was the old man Hokage and Teuchi and Ayame from Ramen Ichiraku and Iruka-sensei who always had a smile and a kind word for him.

"I still want to be Hokage, Mahou-sama! I want to protect my precious people!" He saw her smile at this and then point at an item on the menu, assuring him he would like it.

They waited in silence while the server brought over their food. To his disappointment he saw that what he had ordered was a dish made of meat and veggies, all mixed together. Not one noodle could be seen in the whole thing. Catching her expression, he settled to eat without any further comments and was startled to discover it wasn't half bad. "So tell me, Naruto-kun, what is it that you're doing to realize your dream?"

"Huh?"

"What are you doing to become Hokage?"

"Well, I go to the academy…"

"And you're top of the class, I assume."

"Well… no." It had never bothered him before, but it did now.

"The top ten, then? There are always people better at some things or others, of course."

"Not… really." He stared at her raised eyebrow in trepidation. "I'm… dead last."

Instead of laughing at him or making fun of him for being dead last and wanting to be the Hokage she just pinned him with a sharp look. "That won't do, Naruto-kun. If you want to be Hokage, you have to be the best there is. Being dead last in the academy is not the way to go." Her voice was soft, but he could still hear the reprimand behind it. "This is what we'll do. Every day after the Academy you'll go over to my house and we'll review what you learned that day to make sure you got it right. You'll have to pay lots of attention since I don't know much and you'll have to teach me, alright?" Seeing his nod of agreement, she continued voicing her plan to him. Why she had such an urge to help him, she didn't know, but she could feel it in her bones: this kid needed all the help he could get and he wasn't getting it from the village. Since they weren't stepping up to the line, then she would do it. She had learned in her stint in the Department of Mysteries to listen to those feelings, it was usually her magic warning her of things to come. She resolved to talk to the Hokage about getting a tutor for the boy that would help him in the other ninja arts that she couldn't help him with, mainly taijutsu, genjutsu and ninjutsu, as well as bukijutsu. She smiled at seeing Naruto happily eating his meal and resolved to also give him a calendar telling him what he should eat. She guessed she'd have a tough battle on that one, but she was sure she would be able to convince the boy. If he wanted to be Hokage, he had to be strong, and he couldn't do that while surviving on ramen.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"Why are you so interested in Naruto, Granger-san?" The Hokage had come to like the witch in the two years she had been living in Konoha, and it had almost nothing to do with the wonderful gift of that clear truth potion she had presented him shortly after she arrived, nor the other brews she provided for the hospital from time to time to use on their more extreme cases. She was nice and a great conversationalist, as he had come to appreciate the few times he had had time to converse with her after she had settled in her home. She was very bright and had a desire to learn he had not seen since Orochimaru, but without the psycho- and sociopathic tendencies. She had a strong moral compass and he was sorely tempted to offer her shinobi training, if only to have her teach in the Academy later. He was sure the students would benefit immensely, much like how they did with Iruka. But now she was asking questions about Naruto, and he had to stop thinking like Sarutobi Hiruzen and start thinking like the Hokage of Konohagakure.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at his tone. The question, while innocently phrased showed that there was something special about Naruto. Acting as if it was nothing more than polite interest on his part, though, she gave her reasons. "I ran into him the other day, or rather, he ran into me, knocked me to the ground. After we set straight the matter of an abused puppy, I treated him to lunch where he told me of his dream to become Hokage." She saw him sigh at this. Apparently, Naruto had also told the old man of his dream. "That boy, he has potential. I can see it. His drive will lead him far. I have no doubt he will be able to become the Hokage one day, but he has a long way to get there. His eating habits are unhealthy, and certainly detrimental to both a growing boy and a shinobi in training. From what I've been able to determine, his instructors at the academy don't pay any attention to him, letting him learn things by picking up whatever explanations they give and never correcting him like they do the other students. Being such a ball of concentrated energy, he has trouble in the lectures, which leads to him not paying attention and not knowing the material, be it the theory behind practical things or his other classes. He is being sabotaged by his own teachers, and while I don't know the reason for that, I certainly cannot abide by it. This week and a half where he has been "teaching" me what he learns at the academy has proved that he has learned nothing from what was taught before, so I have taken it upon myself to research the topics in the library and tutor him as much as I can, but I cannot do that on taijutsu, nor any other ninja subjects. He needs a tutor who will not scorn him, nor would lead him astray. He will graduate in less than a year if he passes the test, and I'll do my utmost to see he does, but he will not be prepared for the life of a shinobi with the kind of training he has had."

"That's all very worrying, Granger-san, but still does not explain what your interest is in the boy."

She sighed. "He reminds me of my best friend back at home. Harry had an awful childhood and was left in the dark about serious information which affected his life. He had a horrible burden to bear and was ill prepared when the time came for him to take up the mantle. While maybe Naruto does not have such a burden," the Hokage winced internally at this, "his childhood has been needlessly cruel and he is being thrust into a life that, if he goes to meet it like he is now, will most likely kill him. I do not wish to see another child go through that again." Sarutobi pinched the bridge of his nose, debating how much to tell the woman. He certainly saw her point, and knowing what he did about the Kyuubi, he knew better than she that the boy needed the best preparation possible. He hadn't known about the sabotage his instructors had heaped on the boy, if he had, he would've taken action sooner. He had just thought the boy was lazy. It was crucial, both for the boy and Konoha itself, that he learn as much as possible in the academy. If he didn't know how to master his chakra, then the Kyuubi might break free of its chains one day, and that would not do. In the end, he decided to tell Hermione everything.

After making it clear that this was considered an S-class secret and that speaking of it was punishable by death, he told her about the Kyuubi, the attack on the village and the Yondaime sealing the beast inside his son: Naruto. To say Hermione was shocked was an understatement, but that shock soon gave way to anger and then to fury. It was soon clear why.

"Naruto knows nothing of this?"

"No. The law was made to ensure the children of this generation wouldn't regard him differently and hopefully allow him to have a normal childhood. I always intended to tell him upon his making genin, or maybe chuunin, but you can see that is not the case."

"He deserves to know, Sarutobi-sama." She surprised him by calling him by his name. She had always addressed him as Hokage-sama until now. "I know you wanted to wait, but withholding such information can lead to nothing good. Allow me to tell you a story. Almost twenty-five years ago there was a war in magical Britain…"

In the end, the Hokage agreed to tell Naruto his story upon graduation from the Academy. He was adamant that he be recognized as an adult first, as it would lend seriousness to the matter which otherwise Naruto may not appreciate.

* * *

AN:

There you have it. Chapter 2 of Witch hidden in the Leaf. Hope you liked it, I certainly enjoyed writing it. There's a small timeskip in here, main reason is I'm really really bad writing feelings and stuff, so I don't really want to deal with throwing Hermione into a relationship with Kakashi while she is still raw with hurt. She will still have issues, as will he, but it will not be the MAIN focus.

Also #1: I always thought that Naruto was never aware of how much his pranks would affect people, mainly because of the lack of an adult in his life, so Hermione here shows him that sometimes not all pranks are funny for all involved.

Another also. Also #2: I see magic, in this story, as the spiritual part of Chakra (what monks, if I understand it correctly) use. It's applications are vastly different to what shinobi do, though they *can* learn, with a lot of practice. Like I mentioned (I think) some things can be done with Magic that can't be done with chakra, and vice versa, but both are equally potent. I always felt Magic in HP didn't get used to it's full potential, so Hermione here will be a little bit more overpowered than what you might see in the books. Not Mary-sue by any standards, but much better and much more dangerous.

To end this long AN, I thank you all again for reading and your support. Reviews are like cookies... You can never have enough!

Cheers,

C.


	3. Test, Team, Trial!

Finally, Chapter 3 is out! Sorry for the delay, I've been writing some of the newer chapters but I had to keep coming back and correcting some stuff. But now it's set in stone, so here you go, and enjoy!

You lovelies also get an extra long chapter this time, just cuz I love you :)

* * *

**Chapter 3: Test, Team, Trial!**

Sarutobi Hiruzen was troubled. It had been 5 months since Hermione had convinced him to get a tutor for Naruto, and the boy had shown remarkable improvement. He had been appalled after the first report made by Shiranui Genma on the boy's abilities. He had assigned Genma as Naruto's tutor because he had utmost confidence in him and his abilities and knew he would not treat the boy poorly. Still, after seeing the first report he had feared for a few seconds that Genma had been trying to prove that the boy wasn't good enough to train and was trying to get out of the duty. When Genma had continued his report saying he had already devised a plan of study to improve Naruto's abilities, Sarutobi allowed himself to relax, giving his unfunded paranoia a kick in the rear.

Still, he was troubled. While the boy's taijutsu and bukijutsu had improved dramatically, his ninjutsu was still terrible, and not for lack of trying. His control was abysmal, he had way too much chakra and it would be nigh impossible to teach the boy the required control before the final exam. Also, there was the fact that since Genma was part of the Hokage's personal guard he could only teach the boy about two or three hours every few days.

Now he had received the report that included the results for the last test before the final exam. Naruto's scores were still low, but no longer dead last by as wide a margin as it had been before. He wasn't even dead last in some of the subjects anymore. At least for the final test, his average scores, while improved, still landed him at the bottom of his class. His fate would depend on the final test, which Sarutobi held in his other hand. He looked again at the list of skills being measured… and banged his head on the table. It would appear Naruto had another year in the Academy to look forward to.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"Do you feel ready for your exam tomorrow, Naruto-kun?"

"Hai, Mahou-sensei!" No matter how many times Hermione insisted that he call her by her name, Naruto fell back to calling her Mahou-sama or Mahou-sensei. When she had argued she wasn't his sensei, he had said that she had taught him more than most his Academy instructors combined, Iruka-sensei excluded. As for her name… it was very hard to pronounce and he'd rather call her Mahou-sensei or Mahou-sama instead of mangling her name into shreds.

She gave him a smile and a pat on the head. He had learned that with her, the gesture wasn't patronizing, but rather was the only physical contact she was willing to have with anyone. She even avoided brushing hands with people when they handed her things. He wondered why that was, but had learned better than to try and pry. "I'm sure you'll do well, Naruto-kun. When you are assigned your genin team you must invite them here to meet me. I'll treat your team and your jounin-sensei to some homemade food." In truth, she wanted to take measure of the jounin sensei who would be teaching Naruto, and try and discover whether he'd be a good sensei for him. It would not do for him to undo the work she and Genma-san had been doing the last few months.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Naruto was depressed. He had failed _again_. He didn't know how to tell Mahou-sama, who had been so good to him these last months, making sure he had proper clothes (though he still favoured his orange jumpsuit) and ate proper meals (though he still snuck a bowl of ramen here and there). She alone had taken him under her wing and taught him what he should've learned in the academy, and gotten the old man to assign him a tutor to improve his skills, which, after only a few days under Genma-sensei's instruction, even he had had to admit were completely abysmal.

He was walking down a street, kicking an empty can, when he was approached by Mizuki-sensei. He was shocked when he spoke about Iruka-sensei's family and told him about the alternate way of graduating. He'd get that scroll from the old man's house to show everyone he was worth something and graduate so he could tell Mahou-sama!

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Ooh, Mahou-sama was going to be _so pissed_. He couldn't believe he'd fallen for a cheap trick like that! But he had wanted to pass so badly. Feeling the weight of his new hitai-ate settle on his brow, he felt ready to face her anger… after a cup of Ichiraku Ramen courtesy of Iruka-sensei.

Hermione, on her side, was sick with worry. Naruto had not shown up after his exam, which led her to believe it had not gone as well as they'd wanted. Still, she'd hoped that Naruto trusted her enough to believe she'd still care for him even if he failed. The thought brought her to a stop. She had thought she'd never care for anyone again, that whatever had broken with Ron's betrayal had damaged her in some way. On the other hand, Naruto was only a kid, and whatever love she felt for him was similar, she mused, to what a teacher would feel for a favourite student, or to what a mother would feel for her child.

Still, Naruto had not come to see her and thinking that he didn't trust her hurt. She could only wait. Wait and hope.

Not twenty minutes later, her front door was being banged in a way only Naruto could. She waved her hand opening the front door at a distance, not wanting to leave the comfort of her recliner, where she was curled up with a cup of hot chocolate. Soon, Naruto appeared followed by Umino-san, who looked as if he should be lying in a hospital bed, not trailing after the kid. She was surprised to see him. She had run across him maybe twice or thrice since moving in and she knew he had an aversion to his old home. She wasn't surprised to see that even after only a minute inside, he looked uncomfortable.

"Look, look, Mahou-sama! I graduated!"

"I can see that, Naruto-kun! Congratulations."

"And this is Iruka-sensei. He was my sensei at the Academy, he was the one giving the test, and at first I failed, but then Mizuki-sensei tricked me into getting the Forbidden Scroll telling me I would pass if I did, so I did, but it was a lie, but Iruka-sensei still passed me." He said all that very fast, not even pausing for breath. Hermione hid a small smile with her cup, she remembered once a long time ago when she used to do pretty much the same thing.

"Slow down, Naruto-kun. Why don't you both take a seat while I go grab something to clean Iruka-sensei's wounds and you can tell me the _whole_ story, huh?"

"No, please, Mahou-san, I can clean them myself at home. I wouldn't want to impose…"

"It's not an imposition, Umino-san. A friend of Naruto's is a friend of mine, so please, take a seat. I have a feeling this is quite the story." After making sure Naruto had no injuries other than a few scratches in his hands from where he'd been tree jumping, she disappeared into her garden, where they could see her go inside that strange little shelter she had had built. Then, something clicked for Naruto.

"Huh? She called you Umino-san! Did you guys already know each other?"

Iruka almost face-palmed. Sometimes Naruto could be really slow. "Yes, Naruto. She bought this house from me, as you very well know. Of course we've met!"

This time it was Naruto who felt the urge to face-palm, and he didn't repress it. By the time Mahou-sama was back with a box full of bottles filled with different concoctions, he was over his moment of stupidity.

"What are those, Mahou-sama?"

"These are potions, Naruto-kun. They will help me treat Iruka-sensei. Now, why don't you start with your story? From when the Academy exam started would be nice," she said, knowing that since he had failed, he probably would have skipped that part. Still, she needed to know where he had failed if she wanted to help him improve. With a half-guilty look, Naruto started recounting his day while she busied herself with Umino-san's injuries. After making him down a Blood-Replenishing potion and something to combat possible infections, she had him strip to the waist so she could heal his injuries. When she first saw his back, she wanted to smack him. How could he be walking around with injuries such as these! He could've damaged something permanently! She knew the man was mostly retired from active duty, but to have such disregard for his own body—_and what a body,_ whispered her traitorous mind—was nothing short of criminal.

She took her wand and applied a numbing charm before she started healing his cuts and scrapes one by one, starting by the biggest one on the center of his back. She listened to Naruto as he talked about his pitiful bunshin during the exam, and idly wondered how they could improve that. Turns out, as he continued with the story, that it wouldn't be necessary. He had learned another technique from the Forbidden Scroll: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Shadow Clone Technique. Similar to the normal bunshin, but not quite the same, apparently. She'd have to ask either Umino-san or Sarutobi-sama later about it. There must be a reason it was in the Forbidden Scroll. By the time he finished his tale of their dinner at Ichiraku Ramen and heading to her house, she was done with all of Iruka's injuries.

Iruka, on his part, was amazed. He had thought he'd have to grind his teeth and try not to yell when she healed him, which he took to mean sewing his wounds closed, but as soon as they'd started he'd felt his back going numb and hadn't felt any more pain.

She handed Iruka a vial which had a mint green potion inside. "All done. Now, you should take this potion just before going to sleep, it will put you into a deep sleep until tomorrow morning. This will allow you to sleep through the pain, since you are still healing and the numbing charm I used will fade in about an hour. Be sure, though, of taking it when you are already in bed, as it will drop you before you even finish the glass. Try to avoid doing much physical activities for the next two or three days, or you might risk reopening your injuries. As for you, young man, we'll discuss today's events tomorrow after you get your team assignment. You won't get away from that. Now go to your place and go to bed, tomorrow is a big day for you, Naruto-kun." With that, she waved her wand twice over his hands, healing the scrapes he had from tree-jumping and sent them both on their way.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"Hey, sensei," Naruto called from where he was tied to a post. He and his team had just been told they all passed the bells test and would officially become genin. He thought this would be a great opportunity to invite them to dinner over at Mahou-sama's. Seeing Kakashi-sensei looking at him, he continued his invitation before he lost his courage. His team, after all, was composed of an almost legendary jounin (that tidbit of information had been provided by Mahou-sama who somehow had known who Kakashi-sensei was when she heard his name), his long-time crush Sakura-chan, and the teme, whom he didn't like but Mahou-sama had insisted he invite too. He doubted he'd accept, but this way he would be able to say he tried. "Mahou-sama wanted me to invite you all to dinner tomorrow night after our first mission. Says she wants to meet you." At this, all three looked at him with mild shock. Mahou-sama kept pretty much to herself, so she was not much more than rumours throughout the village. The few times some shinobi had tried following her they had managed to get as far as her property line and had been able to go no further, repelled by some strange force. Boy had Hokage-sama been upset about that.

"Mahou-sama, you say?"

Naruto nodded. "Hai, sensei! She's been helping me with the Academy these last few months, even got the old man Hokage to get me a tutor to help improve my skills. She wants to meet you all," he repeated.

"Mahou-sama? We get to have dinner with Mahou-sama? Kyaa!" Sakura's eyes were full of stars. Apparently, Mahou-sama's reputation was a bit bigger than Naruto knew. Kakashi-sensei seemed to think it over a little before agreeing. Seeing the rest of his team agree, and wanting to meet the elusive figure that had been able to make even the dobe improve his skills, not that he'd been paying attention, but he _had_ noticed, Sasuke gave a grunt to say he'd be there too.

"Yatta! She'll be expecting us tomorrow at seven, after training, then." He then had to threaten to destroy Kakashi-sensei's precious book when they started leaving with him still tied to the pole before he got released.

* * *

Hermione had the table set up for five and the meal was almost ready. They'd be arriving any moment now, and sure enough, that was Naruto-kun knocking on the front door.

She opened it to see Naruto, vibrant in his orange jumpsuit, with his two teammates, a shy girl with pink hair and a brooding boy that reminded her a bit of Harry when he was young, until she saw his eyes. Those were the eyes they all had after the war: haunted and somewhat dead. Something horrible had happened to this child and he was still suffering for it. A bit behind them, she saw a tall, silver-haired man reading an orange book. From what she knew of him, this must be Hatake Kakashi, Team 7's jounin sensei. She had asked around, of course, and what she had heard was the stuff that later on legends were made from. She couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. And then he looked up, and what she saw in that single second before his dark-grey eye clouded under a facade of cheerfulness, made her believe all the stories and that maybe, just maybe, this man was as dangerous as the stories made him to be.

"Come on in, dinner will be ready soon. I'm Granger Hermione, you may call me Hermione if you wish. I hope you're up for something new, I made food that's common in the Outer Lands to give you something different."

"Thank you, Grya—Gan—Mahou-sama," said the small pinkette, blushing a bit. Hermione resigned herself to being called that. So far, only Sarutobi-sama and Umino-san had been able to call her anything else. She supposed they must've known her language and thus her name was easier to pronounce. She suspected the ANBU who had escorted her to the bank that first day might have been able to call her by name too, ANBU were the elite, after all, but he hadn't known her name and so called her Mahou-sama, which had stuck with the villagers and her sometimes student.

They sat around the table and Hermione waved her hand, making the dishes that were sitting on the countertop in the kitchen float merrily towards them. Even Naruto's eyes were wide. He knew she used her chakra in a different way than they all did, but he hadn't seen her do any magic yet. Kakashi looked the less shocked, but on the other hand, he had been ANBU and knew how to hide his emotions and reactions. That isn't to say that inside he wasn't as giddy as a little boy seeing fireworks for the first time.

"Ho—how'd you do that?!" Apparently the pinkette's shyness was overcome in the face of this new thing.

"Back where I come from, we learn to channel our chakra differently. We use wands," she whipped out her wand and twirled it around making flower petals rain on the girl. "And then we can learn to do it without." She waved her hand and the petals gathered into a neat pile that promptly vanished. Hermione was happy to see that even Sasuke, who so far had been reticent and showed next to no emotion, was looking on in interest. "Instead of hand seals, we use certain movements with our wands and our hands to set the pathways our minds and bodies need to channel our chakra, which we call magic."

Naruto was nearly jumping out of his seat. "Could we learn how to do that?"

Hermione seemed startled. She hadn't realized that was where the conversation was going, but she should have. And come to think about it, there were a lot of things she knew that might be useful for them later on. Of course, trying to teach them to channel their chakra in this whole new way would take time and patience. On the other hand, it would give her more access to the team and she'd be able to gauge better the calibre of Naruto's new sensei. She wondered then when it was that she became so interested in who would teach Naruto. Maybe when the Hokage had told her about the Kyuubi that was sealed inside Naruto, which reminded her, she wanted to take a look at that seal… She came back to earth when she heard Naruto calling to her. She shook her head to get rid of her stray thoughts and focused on the boy in front of her. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, what was it you asked?"

"I wanted to know what else you can do, Mahou-sama."

"Oh, just a little bit of this and that. I'd love to teach you, that is, if your sensei agrees." All three kids turned to their sensei, hopeful looks on their faces, his response, though wasn't what they were hoping for.

"I ah… I don't think that's possible, Granger-san. They just got put together in a team and there are other things they have to work on." Seeing the dejected looks in his genins, he hastened to add, "Maybe later, when they've got their teamwork down." Kakashi was shocked, though, at the eager look in Sasuke's face. As far as he knew the kid wasn't interested in anything that wasn't combat related, and while he knew that Granger-san must know some combat spells, what she had showed them were anything but. Sasuke, on his part, had no idea _why_ exactly he was interested, but he figured that any skills she might teach them would enhance his own abilities. He might even convince her to teach him how to conjure weapons instead of flowers. Now _that_ would be useful.

Hermione was a little sad when they left, her offer of teaching had been rejected, at least for the time being. It made her sad not only because it would prevent her from getting to know Naruto's sensei to establish whether he was a good sensei for Naruto, but because in the short time they had spent on dinner with her, she had come to like Naruto's teammates. She could see so much of herself and her boys in them. Even if thinking about Ron now produced fresh pain, she still remembered the boy he had been fondly. It was the fame they got after that war that had changed and warped him beyond all recognition. The Ron they knew in school wouldn't have treated her how the new one had.

Probably.

Most likely.

Ok, maybe he would have, but he hadn't, so that counted for something.

Still, Hatake-san had said that she might be able to teach them later on, so she spent a few hours before going to bed drafting a rough teaching plan.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

It was a little over three months after their first dinner when Naruto came smiling into her house. They'd received a rank-C mission! She was so proud of them, yet very worried at the same time. They had come around twice more for dinner. Hatake-san accompanied them in all occasions and so far he had maintained his distance from her. When he interacted with his team he was always caring and had a smile that reached his only visible eye. When he talked to her, he was always polite and a bit distant. That suited her just fine. His choice of reading material, however… the less said about that the better.

"That's wonderful, Naruto-kun! What kind of missions is it?"

"We have to protect this drunken old man until he gets home in Wave country and then stay with him until he finishes building his bridge. It should take around two or three weeks, depending how fast the old man works."

Something about Wave Country bothered Hermione, but she couldn't quite place it. She'd have to check later, after Naruto had left her house but before they set out tomorrow morning. For now, she had something to give him. "Come, Naruto-kun, I have something to give you for your trip." She made for him to follow her into her study, the only place in the house that was absolutely out-of-bounds whenever they all came to visit. It was the first time he'd seen it. She walked around the desk and sat on her chair before opening one of the drawers. From it, she took what appeared to be a silver disk with a hole in the middle. "This, Naruto-kun, is a beacon. You should keep it with you at _all_ times. If you push chakra into it with the following pattern," she conjured a small ball of coloured light and made it pulse in a 2-1-2 rhythm. "It'll let me know you're in danger and I'll be there to help you, ok? I know I'm not much of a challenge alone against most shinobi," here she suppressed a snort, she had a better idea of what she could do in relation to shinobi now and while she couldn't go against the elite, she should be able to hold herself very well up until at least a chuunin. "But I should be able to help. If you or your teammates are in danger, or hurt, call me. If I found out you needed me and didn't call, I will be seriously pissed off, understand?"

"Hai! So… how does it work?"

"It's too complex to explain, but basically, you have this and I have its brother," she raised her hand where she showed him a charm bracelet, which had a similar but much smaller charm. "When you channel chakra through it, mine will heat up and allow me to find you, wherever you are. I made it so it'll only heat up after a sequence since I don't want to show up just because the charm got the edge of the chakra you used for a random jutsu. This way, I'll know if you need me. But _please_ Naruto… It won't work if you're unconscious, so call me before that happens, ok?"

"Hai!"

"Good, now go. You need to prepare for your trip and I have some reading to do." _Reading about Wave Country, why is it that it bothers me so that that's where they're going?_

She had her answer within two hours. She'd rushed to the library, which kept local publications of neighbouring countries. The Gatou Company had cropped up about a year ago and if one read between the lines, you could tell it was trying to get over Wave Country by monopolizing the trade routes. This bridge would undermine that effort. She had no doubt that this bridge-builder was more trouble than what he had let on. She had to tell someone. After a quick visit to the Hokage Tower, where she was unsurprised to find the old man still at work, she got the directions to Hatake-san's home. She just hoped he wouldn't think she was intruding.

She waited patiently while he came to get the door. She was about to knock again when he opened the door, "Ano, Gai, I don't wanna hear any more about the sprin—gah! Granger-san! Please, excuse me!" She could see his rising blush on his face—what was not covered by the towel he currently held against it. Judging by his attire, or lack thereof, she'd caught him just as he got out of the shower. His toned body was wrapped in a towel tied to his waist, and droplets of water could be seen running down his sculpted and scarred torso. For a moment, all rational thought left Hermione's head and the only thing a Yamanaka would've pulled out of her head was "yummy". She was startled out of her thoughts by him asking her to please come in and make herself comfortable while he got dressed. Barely five minutes later he was back, face mask and all, while still towelling his silver hair dry.

"I'm sorry about that, Granger-san, I thought you were Gai, a friend of mine, back for another lecture on the springtime of youth."

Wondering what the hell he was talking about, but having more pressing issues to talk about she passed him a folder, which had copies of the most relevant articles about Wave Country she'd been able to find. "I believe the mission you got may be more dangerous than what your client let on, Hatake-san." With barely a glance at her, he set himself to reading, very swiftly, through the articles she'd given him.

"This is… worrying. I presume Naruto told you about the mission?" At her nod, he continued. "Tazuna-san appears to have lied about the severity of the situation. I'll talk it over with the Hokage and request extra back-up at least, or a reassessment at worse. Thank you, for bringing this to my attention, Granger-san."

"There was something else I wanted to give you. I had it ready for your team's first mission outside the village." She took a fist sized box out of her coat pocket and with a double tap of her fingers, it expanded back to its original size. "I've talked it over with the Hokage and we're working for this to be a mandatory addition to all missions outside of Konoha, but your council is frustratingly resistant, despite the success they have in the hospital and your T&I Division. It's a selection of a few potions which would help in several situations. This one," she pointed to eight identical vials on one end of the box. "Is called a Pepper-up potion. It will keep you awake when you're falling asleep, and replenish your energy and chakra when you're about to pass out, in addition of fighting back the common cold. One vial is good for about twelve hours' time. Do not abuse it, there are only two doses per person in this box. I'm hoping that once we're able to convince the council and I'm allowed to open a proper shop, more shinobi would have access to it and it'd become standard procedure to carry one, it could very well save someone's life. It's very similar to your soldier pills, but without the bad side effects. It does have the effect, though, of improving blood flow, so it should _not_ be given to someone with severe wounds or someone who has internal bleeding. These two are muscle regeneration potions, and while normally they'd be used to attach limbs, they can be very useful in speeding up recovery when dealing with cuts. It cannot be given with a pain relief, which are these four here…" she continued her explanation of every little bottle and ointment in her little box of wonders. When she was finished she couldn't help but feel an ounce of satisfaction at his shocked expression. She hadn't been able to get a proper reaction out of him when she was conjuring stuff out of her wand, but a few first to third year potions took the words out of his mouth.

"I—I thank you, Granger-san. I'm sure they'll be very useful."

"One more thing. Don't use the Pepper-up on Naruto. I do not know how the boost to his chakra would affect his… guest, so I'd like to study his seal a bit before we give him something that might make it possible for it to get free, ok?"

No longer wondering why she knew what she did, the Hokage must've told her, he nodded and spent the next half hour learning how to shrink and enlarge the box. She was a great teacher, and he resolved to reconsider his decision to let her teach his genin some of what she knew. She also had a contagious laughter and a smile that'd make Maito Gai faint. Her hands were soft where she corrected his hands and how they should move. True, he could have used the Sharingan but for some reason, he didn't want to cut this evening short. As much as he'd kept to himself so far, he had enjoyed the occasional afternoon his team spent with her and her cooking was fantastic, not that he'd admit it out loud. He would also admit to himself, very, very deep down, that she was beautiful, and what hot-blooded male wouldn't enjoy being the sole focus of the attention of a beautiful woman? His _Icha Icha_ novels were a poor substitute.

After she left, he took the folder she'd left with him and made his way to the Hokage's Tower. His report left the old man seething. He promised to arrange something so that his team would still go on this mission—no one wanted to deal with the ruckus Naruto would build up if told they were being pulled out. He couldn't send a higher ranking shinobi, since their fees would not be covered by the parameters of the mission and he suspected Tazuna-san wouldn't be able to pay them anyways. He decided to talk it over with Tazuna-san in the morning and convince him to take a second genin team, if he didn't agree, he could make his own way back home. Two jounin senseis should be more than enough for such a short mission, not to mention the six genin that would go with them. He had no idea how glad he'd be of that decision by the end of the month.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"Ah, Kurenai!"

"Kakashi. The Hokage told us me and my team should accompany you on your mission."

"Hai, he mentioned he'd send another team with us."

"What?! Why do we need another team, Kaka-sensei!"

"Shut it, dobe!" Sasuke said at the same time he got cuffed by Sakura-chan. Sasuke was wondering the same thing, though. This was simple escort mission to the Land of Waves. They probably wouldn't come across anything worse than a bandit or two, if that. There was no need for back-up. He was quite convinced he could handle the whole thing alone.

"They're going with us since Tazuna-san was less than honest with us about the mission's risk," he said, with a glare that would have buried a less drunk man.

"Huh? What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei?"

"It means that this mission is likely more dangerous than a C-rank, and so Tazuna-san here _agreed_ to hire another team, since his other option was making his way back home on his own." An annoyed "che" could be heard from the drunken old man.

"Come on, Naruto, why wouldja not wanna work with us, huh? Akamaru and I, we'll bail you out if you get in trouble!" Kiba's loud voice could be heard from just beyond the village gates, where he, Hinata-chan and Shino-san were waiting.

Naruto was about to yell back that he didn't need anyone bailing him out, but was silenced by the serious glare his sensei sent him. That and the threat. "Not one word, Naruto-kun, or you can stay here. Be thankful Granger-san figured it out before we departed, or we might have brought one of you back in a box." At first he was mad, _really mad_, at Mahou-sama for doing this, but then what Kakashi-sensei said got to him. Back in a box. Kakashi-sensei thought one of them might have died. He wouldn't mind if it was the teme, ok, yeah, he would, but what if it was Sakura-chan!

And with that, they set off. Shino, Kiba and Sasuke took the lead, followed by Tazuna and then Hinata, Sakura and Naruto. The shy girl seemed even quieter than usual, going red behind the ears every time she peeked at the boy walking a few paces to her left. Sakura picked up on this and was torn between amusement and disgust. The two jounins brought up the rear.

"So who is this Granger-san, Kakashi? Why haven't we met her yet? Is she a civilian?"

Kakashi almost choked when he got what Kurenai was implying. "Che, Kurenai, you've got it all wrong. Have you heard of Mahou-sama, the witch who moved here three years ago?"

"Yes, you'd be hard pressed to find _anyone_ who hasn't heard about her. I heard Ibiki threw a party in T&I a few months after she got here. Rumour has it she gave something to the Hokage, who passed it on to Ibiki, who almost cried in joy." Rumour has it. Right. The Hokage told Asuma who told Kurenai, more likely. "Wait, you're not telling me Mahou-sama is this Granger-san person, are you?" At his nod, she almost stopped walking.

"Well, how do you know her?"

"Through Naruto, actually. Apparently, he played a prank on someone's puppy and ran into her. She wasn't too happy about that, so she made him apologize and put the puppy to rights, then bought Naruto dinner. She's been looking out for him ever since. She's even treated us to dinner at her place a few times since then. She's… nice."

Once again, Kurenai almost stopped short. For Kakashi to say that about a woman, much less a civilian, was almost a declaration of undying love! She said nothing, though, seeing how uncomfortable he was with the topic. She was happy for him, though. She had Asuma, and she doubted any self-respecting woman would ever put up with Gai, but Kakashi needed a good woman in his life. Even if he was still in denial. Oh, she doubted he was in love, of course not, not yet, but there was an attraction there. She hoped Gai wouldn't find out just yet, he'd make a big fuss about it and Kakashi would end up distancing himself from the girl just to prove him wrong.

"You must introduce us, sometime, Kakashi. From what I hear she hasn't made very many friends and that must be very lonely," she said slyly.

After a moment of thought, he assured Kurenai he'd ask Naruto to introduce her and her team to Hermione. She seemed to like his own team, so maybe a little exposure to Kurenai's would be good. They fell back into silence.

Hinata was trying not to blush. She was trying really, _really_ hard… and failing. She was trying so hard, she'd forgotten to do what Kurenai-sensei had asked, which was to use her Byakugan every hundred paces to scout for chakra that shouldn't belong. Had she done that, maybe they'd have had warning about the strange, chakra-laced puddle in the middle of the road. But… she was trying not to blush and thus the first warning she had of said puddle was when she tripped and landed face-first into it.

Everything happened in seconds. The puddle rose up on itself and coalesced into a man that grabbed her by the hair, exposing her throat to the man's kunai which was now pressed against her jugular. From behind them, two chains sped through the air and taking their sensei's moment of shock at seeing her captured, enveloped the two distracted teachers, forcing them back to back.

The man holding Hinata growled. "No one moves or the little girl gets it." They were frozen. The kunai was way too close to Hinata's neck, their sensei were trapped and any movement would mean blood spilled.

"Now, hand over the old man and we'll let you go peacefully. We have no beef with Konoha ninjas."

"Are you stupid? We're not going to hand over the old man, it's our mission to protect him, believe it!" And with that, Naruto jumped towards the man holding Hinata hostage. The Kiri-nin holding Hinata was shocked and that half a second hesitation was enough for Hinata to use a Kawarimi Jutsu. Pandemonium ensued.

Team Kurenai ganged up on the chuunin holding their sensei in chains. Hinata somersaulted over to Kiba, who gave her a push on her feet with his hands, while Akamaru grew in size. She landed deftly behind the man holding the chains, who, being unable to fight and hold the sensei captive at the same time, couldn't dodge her Byakugan-precise strikes and was soon down. Almost before he fell, he was covered in Shino's kikaichu, rendering him unconscious in seconds.

Team Kakashi wasn't having nearly as much success. After the first punch by Naruto, Sasuke had joined the fray, yelling at Naruto that he didn't need his help and telling him to stand back. Sakura was frozen in front of Tazuna, torn between fear and admiration towards Sasuke. Naruto shouted about him being a teme and used his Kage Bunshin technique to create ten clones that had ganged up on the Kiri-nin. Sadly, they were being taken down as much by Sasuke as the enemy.

"Stop attacking my clones, teme!"

"Then keep them away from my fight, dobe! I don't need your help!"

By this time, Team Kurenai had freed their sensei, and Kakashi took control of the situation. One well-placed strike to the neck and the Kiri-nin was down for the count.

"What'd you do that for! I was beating him!"

"Shut up!"

"Don't speak to Sas—"

"You shut up, too. I have no patience for your games right now." Kurenai was shocked. It was rare that Kakashi lost his patience like this, but after how his team had acted, she could understand it. She finished securing the two Kiri-nins and gathered her team for congratulations on acting quickly and their flawless teamwork. But with praise, also came criticism. She berated Hinata for not paying attention to her surroundings enough that one, she'd tripped and two, failed to noticed the chakra-laced puddle. Had she been using her Byakugan to scout as instructed, they'd have had ample warning in the fight. Well, she and Kakashi had had ample warning, but had wanted to see if their genin picked up on a puddle that wasn't supposed to be there and how would they react to it. They could've gotten out of the chains at any moment since they'd been caught, but their genin needed to learn. If at any moment their teams had been in danger, they'd have dealt with the problem swiftly, but even when Hinata had been under the enemy's kunai, she'd had utmost confidence in her abilities to get out. She'd been trained by Hyuuga Hiashi, after all, and even if he didn't see how good his daughter was, Kurenai had seen it many times over. She was never in any real danger. She also berated Kiba and Shino for failing to notice the puddle in the first place. It hadn't rained in days. This was a mission, and they had to keep their wits about. Properly chastised, they promised to do better.

Kakashi, for his part, was just about to send his team packing back to the academy. Had he been easily embarrassed, he doubted he'd be able to look at Kurenai in the eye again. More than embarrassed, he was thoroughly disappointed, and he let his team know it. Naruto was looking at the ground, ashamed. He had put Hinata at risk with his overzealousness, and had it not been for her quick reflexes and the enemy shinobi freezing for a moment, they'd have to explain to Hyuuga Hiashi how they'd let his daughter and heir be killed. Sasuke was still convinced he'd have been able to beat the chuunin if it had not been for Naruto's intervention. Kakashi sighed inwardly. It'd take a lot to break the boy out of his habit of relying only on himself. It was not a good habit to have, to any extent. The only person you could truly rely on was yourself, but that didn't mean you couldn't accept help where help was needed or that other people couldn't bring valuable skills to the table. As for Sakura, he went a little softer on, but he emphasized that freezing was _not_ an option under any circumstances. If she hadn't felt prepared to get directly involved in the fight, she should have taken a defensive stance in front of the client, who they were supposed to protect anyways. She hadn't even taken out her kunai, for Kami's sake! With a warning that if anything similar happened again (referring mainly to their absolute lack of teamwork, even after _months_ of exercises geared only for that purpose), he'd see the three of them back in the academy, or if they managed to piss him off enough (much like he was at the moment), stricken from the ranks of shinobi.

Properly cowed, his team promised to do better. With a resigned "see that you do" he left them to resume their places in their odd little caravan. Maybe working along of, and chatting with, Kurenai's team would help them see the advantages of teamwork at this stage in their careers. And he'd have to arrange for Sasuke to fight a chuunin ninja of his choice. That'd show the upstart brat that no matter how good he thought he was, he was still just a genin. Maybe he shouldn't have let the boy think he could fight him almost equally during the bells test, but he had wanted to see how good the brat actually was. That, he realized now, had been a mistake. It had given the boy a misplaced sense of confidence. Confidence was good, but this… this would lead him to an early grave.

* * *

AN: There you go, Chapter 3 of Witch Hidden in the Leaf.

I always thought it terribly unrealistic that the skills of Sasuke were as "high" as they seemed in the bells test. I mean, come on, this is a genin that for the last few years has had no one to help him at home and is certainly conceited enough to not accept help from any random passerby, ninja or not, that may offer to correct and/or train him. So as rule of thumb, the enemies will be getting a bit of a power-up and the genin while thye will not be powered down, will present the baseline, which means the chuunin and jounin and so on, will be powered up too. Had any of the genin, like Sasuke did in the manga, gone up one-on-one with the two brothers, they _would have lost._ No doubt about it.

Also, I don't really like Sasuke, and while this will not be a bash-fic, he will be quite a bit darker. It seemed to me when I rad the manga that there were leaps of "darkness" too big and his defection came as a bit of a WTF.

To end this in a more positive note, I'll be sure not to leave so much time till the next update.

Virtual cookies for reviewers!

Cheers,

C.


	4. Battle Magic

Chapter 4! Yay! Thank you all for the reviews and stuff. Next chapter wraps up the-admittedly short-Wave Arc and gives the second teeny tiny hint of KaMione! WooHoo! Aren't you guys excited? I am :)

Disclaimer: (Valid for Ch3 too, since I forgot it) I own nothing, yadda yadda yadda, JK Rowling, blah blah blah, Masashi Kishimoto, bibbidi bobbidi boo.

Very telling, my disclaimer, ne?

* * *

**Chapter 4: Battle Magic**

Hermione was worried. Contrary to what she had told Naruto, the charm she'd given him heated up whenever he used chakra, unless she deactivated it (like when she knew he'd be training). She was concerned when the charm heated up not two days after they'd departed. Had they gotten into trouble so quick? She almost dropped everything she was doing and apparated to his location, but she had to trust he'd know when he needed her help. And she didn't want to embarrass him in front of his team and whoever else the Hokage had sent on this mission. So she sat in her stool, and waited patiently for the signal for help. When it didn't come and his chakra settled down (as opposed to being cut off abruptly, which would tell her the boy was unconscious), she figured they'd handled whatever it was and went back to her brewing.

But her feeling of worry didn't go away and it nagged at the back of her mind like a persistent flea might bug the Inuzuka's dogs.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Kakashi was resting in Tazuma's home. His fight with Zabuza had exhausted him. Using the Sharingan like that for so long, had nearly made him faint and had rendered him unable to move for the last leg of the journey. Not even Kurenai's presence had done much to help against the blood-crazed missing nin. Speaking of… he'd need to teach Kurenai how to enlarge the box of potions Hermione-san had given him. It was of no use to anyone if he couldn't enlarge it because he couldn't channel his chakra. He could only think wistfully about that Pepper-up potion Hermione-san had mentioned and wish he had had the foresight to carry at least one dose in his pouch, or given it to Kurenai or one of the genin. Well, no use crying over spilled milk. Meanwhile, outside Kurenai was teaching his team how to Tree Walk. After making it abundantly clear to his team that he'd tolerate absolutely no disrespect towards her from any of them, he had given them over to her until he recovered. Her team was currently practicing Water Walking while guarding Tazuna at his bridge, with the standing instruction of taking Tazuna and high tailing it back to the house at the least sign of trouble. Since by their reckoning they'd have at least a week Zabuza-free, she let them go on their own.

Kurenai had been surprised that his team still didn't know this exercise, but after he'd told her he'd been, unsuccessfully, trying to bolster their teamwork, she understood. Having seen the disaster that was that first fight, she understood why he'd wanted them to learn how to work as a team first, even if their fight against Zabuza had been way better. That trick with the Kage Bunshins and the shadow shuriken had impressed her. But still, she thanked every Deity she knew the name of, and many she didn't, that she hadn't been saddled with this team. Sasuke's arrogance, Sakura's fan girl personality, and Naruto's boisterousness were grating on her nerves. And Kakashi had told her Naruto had been even worse at the beginning! Apparently, she had Mahou-sama to thank for that change.

Kakashi was unsurprised to see Sakura was the first one to get the exercise. She had, by what he could appreciate, very precise chakra control. She had to, since her reserves were well below the average shinobi. He'd have to engineer some kind of exercise to help her expand her reserves. Chakra control meant nothing if she'd run out of chakra halfway through a fight anyways. As for Naruto, he'd have to teach him chakra control. Maybe he could use the boy's Kage Bunshins for that… yes, that'd work nicely.

The week went by swiftly. Kakashi had been able to move and channel enough chakra to enlarge Hermione-san's box of goodies by the evening of the second day. Kurenai had been shocked by his quick recovery after he'd drunk one of the vials in the box. After a quick explanation and about an hour of teaching, she was able to enlarge and shrink the box herself. They wouldn't be caught unawares again.

Kakashi had taken over his team's training, while Kurenai went over to supervise her own team at the bridge. After three days, they had all gotten the basic grasp of the exercise and had joined her team at the bridge. Sasuke and Naruto would continue to practice on whatever vertical surface available, sans the bridge. Even if by now they knew enough not to blow whatever surface they were practicing on to smithereens, no one wanted an accident that would lengthen the mission even more.

By the time the sixth day in Wave rolled around, though, it seemed as if their mission would be much longer than expected. Most of the workers of the bridge had opted to resign, and construction was nearly at a standstill. The genins resolved to work in two shifts, alternating between protecting Tazuna and building the bridge. Team 7's shifts were the most productive, as Naruto would create a number of clones which helped in the construction.

After a very tense dinner, in which the story of Inari's stepfather had come to light, they settled themselves to a fitful night of sleep. The next morning saw them all, sans Naruto who had finally exhausted himself using his clones the day before, arrive at the bridge to see the motionless bodies of the few workers who had agreed to continue building the bridge.

Time seemed to slow down and speed up all at once. Zabuza and the hunter nin who had rescued him before appeared on the bridge and engaged them in battle. In less than a minute Sasuke was trapped by the mirrors, while Sakura and Team Kurenai formed a protective diamond around Tazuna. Kakashi sensei was bleeding and even with his Sharingan and Kurenai's support, it was a hard fight. Kurenai's genjutsu was nullified by Zabuza's mist, as was Kakashi's Sharingan. Sasuke's screams of pain unnerved the genin protecting Tazuna. Even Hinata's Byakugan was unable to penetrate more than a few paces in the thick mist. Still, a few paces were enough and she was able to shout a warning when Zabuza approached them from behind. Shino was there and he instantly deployed some of his kikaichu, but Zabuza formed a water clone which drowned the poor bugs. The senseis got there soon after.

They heard a yell. Naruto had joined them. The mist soon lifted a bit and they heard Naruto brag about how he was there to save the day. Then he went inside Haku's Demonic Ice Mirrors. Kakashi, Kurenai and Zabuza were still engaged in battle. Then the mist lifted a bit more, and what they saw, chilled their blood to the core.

Sasuke was lying on the floor, pierced by several long needles, unmoving. And Naruto… Naruto was crouching and an evil aura surrounded him. Hinata's Byakugan indicated that it was both foreign and yet a part of him, and it seemed to radiate from his stomach. She saw Naruto destroy the Demonic Ice Mirrors and jump at Haku, downing him in one hit. She was about to jump in to try and disable him with her Gentle Fist style, but at her first two steps, both Kurenai and Kakashi yelled at her to stay put and to not put herself in Naruto's line of sight.

Kakashi noticed that Zabuza was floored, staring at Haku's still body and used a summoning jutsu to immobilize Zabuza. He called on a jutsu of his design, the Lightning Cutter and impaled Zabuza through the chest. The battle seemed won and with a sigh he allowed himself to feel the exhaustion.

Bad move.

_Clap. Clap._ "Bravo. I should commend you in your zeal, shinobi. And thank you for saving me the trouble of disposing of those two. Now you are weakened and my people will take care of you easily." Kurenai was bleeding from many wounds, Kakashi could barely stand. Naruto was no longer consumed by the evil aura and he was heaving. It would be the two hundred or so thugs against the severely weakened jounin and the genin. They'd be able to take care of what… seventy? Eighty? Before they were overwhelmed? Their future seemed bleak.

Naruto tried to take a step forward, put himself between Gatou's men and his sensei, but he couldn't. He was just too tired. He sank to his knees and the amulet Mahou-sama had given him swung free of his clothes. In a second, he knew what to do. He gathered his chakra and sent the distress signal, hoping she'd be able to help. And hoping she wouldn't kill him for not calling her sooner. "Don't worry, sensei, I'm calling for back-up." He repeated the signal, praying Mahou-sama would be able to find him soon.

Hermione was ready when she got the distress signal. She'd been worried for quite a while now, especially when the charm on her bracelet had heated up so much it had heated the bracelet she kept it hanging from and had burnt her skin. This had been her first clue. She surmised that was the demon Naruto had sealed inside of him. Still, she had confidence he'd call her when she was needed. It never occurred to her that he might forget he had the medallion at all. Still, when she got the signal, closely followed by a repeat, she focused on her magic, and Disapparated with an almost inaudible pop.

The scene that greeted her was bleak. Four genin were surrounding an old man. Naruto was on his knees, covered in blood, but seemed to have no wounds himself. There was another young shinobi knocked out cold on the ground. Sasuke was impaled by several long needles. A tendril of magic in his direction showed he was still alive. He'd hold on, for now. A female shinobi was supporting Kakashi who seemed barely able to stand. All conscious ones were looking at her in surprise. And in front of her… Almost two hundred men with various weapons, who apparently were ready to attack the ragtag group of Leaf Ninja. And the ground… the ground was covered in blood. Blood of children, however much they were considered adults in Konoha, in her mind they were still children.

She saw red.

But now she was here and it was time to embrace the old Hermione. The Hermione she had buried with Voldemort's defeat. The warrior. The avenger. The one who struck fear in her opponent's heart. "Leave." Her voice was cold. Commanding.

The man in the middle, who was wearing a suit, snorted. "Who do you think you are? We'll bury you along with the shinobi! Attack!"

"Have it your way." With a determined frown, she whipped out her wand, and began.

First, she called a strong wind, so strong it pounded against the first line of men, making them cover their faces. A few standing further back tried sending arrows her way, but the wind blew them away. Then, she swept her wand in an arc in front of her, charming every piece of debris, every discarded weapon to fly at her opponents. Half the front line fell, struck by rocks, nigh unbreakable ice and the odd kunai.

The men pressed on, fighting against her wall of wind. The first one to reach her swung a spear at her, but she backstepped and threw a ball of fire at him which caught him in the gut, sending him flying back. Three more overcame her barrier and jumped at her, but a swish of her wand and a cutting curse disabled them, showering her with their blood. Enraged, more and more mercenaries managed to pass her spell, but she cut them down mercilessly. Lightning and fire flew from her hands, but they kept coming at her. Worried, for she really didn't want to use one of the big spells taught to her by the Unspeakables, she kept at it.

Two men, their faces snarling in bloodlust, jumped at her from opposite sides and she thought she might take a hit when suddenly a tree seemed to grow out of the bridge and immobilize them. Two kunais flew from behind her, burying themselves deeply into the men who had almost gotten her. She couldn't spare a look, but she thought she heard a female voice shout "Team 8, engage!" behind her. The tide stemmed a little as she saw flashes of other people fighting with her. A little girl, short hair blue as the night sky leaped in front of her, landing precariously on the spear aimed at her side, making it fall harmlessly to the ground, thrust her hands in a straight, open palmed strike that disabled her target's arms. Another push of her small legs and she was back by her comrades, two boys, one using a dog and the other using… were those _bugs_?

_To each their own, I suppose_, was the stray thought on Hermione's mind as she turned to her left, sending a Bludgeoning curse to the thug that thought to attack her. Blood matted her hair and sweat made it stick to her forehead, but she persevered.

The man with the suit was harassing his henchmen into attacking back. She took a leaf out of Dumbledore's book (quite literally, since that's where she'd learned the spell) and a whip of fire appeared on the tip of her wand. She swung it towards him, and in his arrogance, thinking she wouldn't reach him, he didn't move. That was a mistake, as the whip suddenly grew and wrapped around his neck. A sharp tug back and his severed head bounced in front of his body. The thugs started to disperse, but some still fought. She swung her whip and severed a few legs while with her off hand she conjured more lightning balls which she sent at the men that insisted on coming at her. Of the nearly two hundred men, around fifteen were smarter than the average pigeon and threw down their weapons.

The rest perished.

She lowered her arms and took a deep breath. She hadn't had to use so much magic since the war. She was tired, but her resolve drove her to check on Naruto. As she was approaching him, she heard a yell from the group of men that had surrendered. "Die, you bitch!" She barely had time to look back and raise her wand, when a kunai breezed through the air, burying itself deeply in the man who held a crossbow in his hands. She looked around to see Kakashi with his arm extended, still half supported by the female jounin. With a nod of thanks and a wave of her wand that summoned all discarded weapons and put them outside the range of the surrendered thugs, she aimed her wand at Naruto and after making sure he had no wounds, made her way to Sasuke, who was closer. She noticed Sakura had dragged the old man with them and they were holding back tears as they looked at their fallen comrade. The other three genin, each sporting their own injuries, though thankfully none seemed too serious, approached them slowly. She heard Sakura's voice quote a shinobi saying to the old man.

"No matter what the situation, a shinobi must kill their emotions and forfeit all feelings. You must make the mission your first priority and you must possess a heart that never shows tears." The other genin were nodding.

Hermione's heart clenched when she heard that. It was a hard way of life. Too hard. And wrong. You didn't get strength from not feeling. You got strength, true strength, from love. The love for your friends, your family, your comrades in arms. Love of your country, of your village. Shinobi were not tools, they were human. And no matter how much you tried, a human could not bury their emotions indefinitely. She told the girl so before kneeling in front of Sasuke and Vanishing the multiple senbon that pierced him. Another spell to stop the blood loss and a diagnostic charm to see how much damage she could repair. She was shocked to see no vital points had been touched, but there was something wrong with his eyes… some kind of curse. She'd have to look into that later. She settled for sending an _Ennervate_ his way and he opened his eyes. Sakura wasted no time in tackling him with a hug. Hermione frowned when he didn't return it.

She made her way to the other shinobi who was unconscious. Seeing nothing more than a rather nasty blow to the head, she made to wake him up but Kakashi warned her not to. Apparently he was the enemy, and the man he had killed was his partner. There was no saying how he would react.

She turned to Kakashi, but when she raised her wand at him, she saw the other woman tense, one of her hands moving towards her weapons. She was stopped by Kakashi. "It's alright, Kurenai. This is Granger-san, we talked about her. She's on our side." _Thankfully_.

With a nod, she took her hand away from her weapons. Speaking of, she'd have to talk to her genin team about not reacting when someone who could do what they had seen the woman do.

"Let me get a look at you, Hatake-san." With a curt nod he disentangled himself from Kurenai and sat on the ground. A few minutes later, Hermione had closed most of his minor wounds, and started the healing on his bigger ones. She'd have him drink a muscle regeneration potion later. Just as she was finished, she heard a commotion at the back of the bridge, towards the town. She raised her wand but stopped when she saw what appeared to be builders and farmers led by a _kid_. Real kid, not genin-kid. One look at their faces, especially the kid's disappointed stare, had her laughing like a madwoman.

After she calmed down, she wearily stood up and addressed the jounin. "Let's go someplace you can rest. Where have you been staying?"

"Tazuna-san's house, Mahou-sama," came the response from the red-eyed jounin.

"Alright. We'll go there, then. I'll take a closer look at all of your injuries there." With a nod, Kurenai took one of Kakashi's arms and swung it over her shoulders. Her genin team led the way back while the townspeople dealt with the bodies and the group of thugs who had surrendered. She heard Kakashi asking for one of the bodies to be held apart until they could turn him over to his partner, who incidentally, was floating behind her, guided by her magic.

After dinner that evening Hermione had just finished tending to Kurenai's injuries when Naruto couldn't hold himself quiet any longer and exploded. "That was _awesome_ Mahou-sama! Can you teach me how to do that? Please? Pleaaaaase? And how'd you get here so fast! It wasn't a shunshin, it's too far away, but I want to learn, please, please, teach me, teach me, teachmeteachmeteachmeteachme!" She cringed at his enthusiasm.

"I'd like to know that, too. How'd you know we needed help and how did you get here. You didn't follow us from the beginning, did you?" Kakashi doubted that was it, or she most likely would've made an appearance before this.

She snorted lightly. "No. I gave Naruto an amulet linked to a charm on my bracelet for him to call me if he needed help. As for how I got here, it's a technique called Apparition. I can probably teach you two, if you'd like," she said, nodding at the two jounin. The genin looked disappointed.

"And this technique can transport you anywhere?"

"Pretty much. You must be familiar with the place you're aiming at, though the term 'familiar' is used really loosely, or have some kind of beacon to lead you. In this case, the amulet was also a beacon. It led me to Naruto. As for the other stuff I did, it takes a _lot_ of time and practice to get to that level. We'll talk about it more when you're back in Konoha. Now, I must be going. You still have your mission to finish."

"Please, Mahou-sama, at least stay the night. What you did today must have been very tiring and we would not want you to get hurt if you use too much chakra going back home." That was Kurenai. Hermione thought about it and then nodded. She didn't actually need that much rest, since Apparition didn't use all that much magic, but she wanted to check on all of their injuries, so graciously accepted. "Great, I can lend you something to use to sleep in, if you'd like."

"Don't worry. I can conjure or transfigure a nightgown for tonight. But thank you, Kurenai-san, for your concern."

"Very well." With a smile, she ushered the genin to their beds, the boys in the same room as Kakashi, and the girls with herself and Hermione. Their unwilling guest was sleeping in the same room as the boys under a sleeping potion. He wouldn't wake up until much later the next day. Kurenai bit back a gasp when Hermione waved her wand and a beautiful nightgown appeared in front of her. She pointed her to the bathroom where she could change.

Hours later, Kurenai awoke when she heard Hermione getting out of her futon. Her heart bled for the woman. What they had done today had been hard. Killing that many men… and they hadn't even stood a chance! Even she, with her shinobi training in managing her emotions, was somewhat troubled by the day's events. Mahou-sama for all that she was a warrior, was not a killer at heart, and the deaths would weigh heavily on her conscience. She almost stood up to follow her, when she heard another voice from outside. She settled herself back and tried not to eavesdrop. Not too much, at least.

"That was a brave thing you did today, Granger-san," Kakashi's voice startled her. She hugged herself, her hands digging into her arms, her conjured nightgown doing nothing to stop the cold night air.

"I did what I had to do. It wasn't brave. It wasn't even necessary. But those men were so full of hatred and greed… they'd have killed you all and not looked back."

"It _was_ necessary. You saved all our lives. I was at the end of my rope. Sasuke was down, and Naruto was exhausted." He didn't mention the Kyuubi. Who knew what the demon fox would've done if Naruto was close to dying. "Kurenai, her team and Sakura, would've been able to take down maybe half of them before being overwhelmed. And the hands of children would've been stained in blood before dying. So I thank you for what you did. For what you sacrificed."

"They were muggles!" At his look of confusion, she corrected herself. "Civilians. Defenceless against one such as you or me. It was wrong—"

"Do you think that Hinata being a girl would've stopped them? Sakura? They were thugs. Warriors with no honour. You saved them. You saved _all_ of us. Make no mistake, they would've slaughtered us all and not lost a wink of sleep over it. That is if they hadn't decided to pass Sakura or Hinata around for a bit of fun. Kurenai, they'd have killed, she's a jounin and they would never have been able to beat her down enough for something like that… but the girls? Make no mistake, you did the right thing. Greed and bloodlust warped those men until they had no morals to speak of. They would've killed us all." He repeated.

She nodded brusquely at him, trying to stem the tears that came from the soul wound caused by the deaths of so many by her hand. She tensed when she felt his arms come around her and draw her in for a hug. The quiet, comforting sounds he was making finally broke through her self-control and she settled for sobbing into his shoulder. They stayed like that long after she ran out of tears. When the sun's rays first touched the forest canopy, she pushed out from his embrace, quietly thanked him and made her way back to her room. Kakashi watched the sun rise and when he first heard someone stirring from inside the house, made his way back to his own futon.

He had no idea what had possessed him to follow the woman outside when he sensed her walking through the house, or what had come over him that had made him offer comfort when he saw she was suffering, but he was glad he had. They—he owed her much, and this was only a small way to repay her.

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A/N: The end of another chapter. This one was a toughie to write, I do not do well with battle scenes. My original battle scene was 1 paragraph, 10 lines long. It was a pain to make it to where I was satisfied with it. Not to mention the original version might as well have replaced Hermione's first name with Mary. Hope you liked that little tidbit of KaMione at the end, I certainly loved writing it.

On another note, I think Saturdays will be my (tentative) upload day. So enjoy, and see you in one week!

Reviews are food for the soul (and the creative juices!)

Cheers,

C.


	5. Dangerous People

First of all, so sorry for being late with this chapter, something came up with my passport and I had to make an emergency trip to LA (8 hours away!) to get it straightened so I was without my computer during the weekend and couldn't upload. On the bright side, I slept in Hollywood, so woohoo!

On the bright side for you guys, it means you get a teeny tiny bit longer chapter today. Next update on Saturday as I promised!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I'm too tired to think of something funny this time, so you guys get a boring disclaimer :D

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**Chapter 5: Dangerous People**

"I think it's time to wake up our guest." They went in to the room where the boy was still asleep, under the influence of one of Hermione's potions. She pointed her wand at him and shot him with an _Ennervate_. He slowly opened his eyes, before fixing each face in turn. Not finding the one he wanted to see the most, he softly asked about Zabuza.

Kakashi took it upon himself to answer. He had been the one to kill him, after all. And it would draw his ire on him, hopefully. "He was—I killed him during our battle. I'm sorry for the death of your comrade."

The pain was clear in the boy's, Haku, as they recalled Zabuza calling him the previous day, eyes. He gave a brusque nod. "He died a warrior. He would've wanted nothing more. His body?"

"We asked the villagers to put it aside until you could reclaim it. Being his comrade, you would know what he wanted in case he—in this case."

"He was not my comrade. He was my sensei, my parent, my reason to exist. I ask that you kill me now, for without him, I have no purpose."

"No… purpose?" Naruto asked shakily.

Haku nodded. "Zabuza took me in after my father killed my mother and I killed my father and the mob of villagers he had assembled to kill me for possessing a kekkei genkai. He raised me and taught me to be a shinobi. My whole… reason to exist was to be his tool. His shield. I should've died before him, protecting him, but now that he's gone I don't have anything left. So I'll ask you again. Please, kill me."

Kakashi closed his eye. "Very w—"

Naruto's voice cut through Kakashi's. "Are you stupid? If you don't have a purpose anymore, you must find another! You can find another dream and make that your new reason to be!"

"A… dream?"

"Yes! A new reason, one that makes use of your life in a way Zabuza would be proud of! Do what he can't anymore and live! Realize your dreams and live for the man who took you in… for your precious person!"

"My… precious… person?" Naruto nodded. The rest were just waiting silently, wanting to see how this would turn out.

"Your precious people never leave you and they'd never want you to throw your life away. You must cherish them and their dreams!"

Haku smiled. "I… think I understand. Zabuza would want someone else to realize his dream, so I'll be that person. I'll make Zabuza-sama's dream come true!"

"Great! And what was Zabuza's dream?" Naruto asked, curious.

"To kill the Mizukage."

You could've heard a pin drop. "To… kill… the Mizukage?"

"Yes. His reign of terror shouldn't be allowed to continue. It is because of him that people in the Land of Water persecute and fear those with kekkei genkai, and it was his idea to make students kill one another as a graduation exam. Though that particular one was rescinded after Zabuza slaughtered all his classmates, there are many policies of his that are damaging to both the Land of Water and international relations with other villages."

Hermione chose to speak up. "So you're just going to kill this Mizukage and walk away?"

Haku blinked at her owlishly. "I… suppose I shouldn't do that, right?"

"So you'll have to come up with a new dream, then…" Naruto sounded dubious.

"No, you misunderstand me. I guess I'll have to become the next Mizukage."

After a moment's pause, Naruto jumped to his feet and pointed at himself. "And I'll become the Hokage, believe it! We'll be the two strongest ninjas in our villages!" The rest of the team wanted to face-palm. Haku just smiled at him.

Hermione left after lunch. She thanked Tazuna profusely for allowing her to stay and told both teams to let her know when they got back and she'd cook dinner for them. Haku left two days after that. If he was going to kill the Mizukage, he needed to train to become stronger and gather enough followers to aid him in his quest. He promised Naruto to visit Konohagakure once he accomplished his new dream.

The teams got back to Konoha two weeks after that. The genins separated to their own houses, while Naruto went to warn Mahou-sama that they were back and to expect them for dinner the next evening. Kakashi and Kurenai went to report to the Hokage.

Sarutobi put the papers he was handed by the two jounin down and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I knew this mission was more trouble than it was worth. First, two missing-nin from Kirigakure and then the Demon of the Bloody Mist himself. It's a wonder you all came back in one piece. And what is this about Granger-san? Why was she even there?"

"I can explain that, Hokage-sama."

"Then do it!" He snapped.

"She gave Naruto an amulet with which he could call on her if in dire need of help. After I killed Zabuza I was pretty much down for the count, Kurenai was injured as well, Sasuke was unconscious, and Naruto was exhausted. The other four genin had taken on a diamond formation around Tazuna-san, but they'd have been overwhelmed rapidly. Naruto called Granger-san and she engaged the thugs, saving all of our lives."

"So she 'engaged' these thugs? All," he glanced down at the report. "All two hundred of them?"

"Yes, sir. She conjured strong winds and a whip of fire while shooting fire and lightning from her left hand. Her opponents fell before they reached her as if cut down by a sword or hit with a mace. Had I not been so exhausted, I might have taken a peek with my Sharingan, but I was about to pass out and keeping that eye open would've seen me collapse. It was nothing short of impressive. After the first few, Team 8 moved in to assist, as it seemed they would overwhelm her with sheer numbers. They took them all down in less than ten minutes. Well… all except for the fifteen or so who surrendered their weapons before they could be defeated. Then, she proceeded to heal all of us before departing the next day after lunch back to Konohagakure."

"And she got there… how exactly?"

Kurenai answered this one. "Some kind of jutsu, Hokage-sama. She said it allows her to instantly transport to anywhere she's familiar with, or to anyplace she had a beacon to, that's what she called Naruto's amulet. She also said it didn't take much chakra at all, just control and having a clear destination in mind. She said she would teach us if we were interested."

"I see. It seems Granger-san's abilities are more varied than I initially thought."

"If I may, Hokage-sama. Like I said, she's already offered to teach us some of her abilities, maybe we can compile a more thorough report for you as the lessons develop."

"Very well. What about the other shinobi? The apprentice?"

"Haku? Haku wasn't a missing-in. He never attended the academy in Kiri, nor is registered as a ninja anywhere. He was trained by Zabuza and became a mercenary at his service."

"And you let him go… why?"

"He's done nothing that would justify his apprehension by our village and I asked him after the teams left if he'd like to come to Konoha before embarking on his crusade against the Mizukage, but he refused, citing that he wanted to start recruiting allies for his coup de état as soon as possible. As it is, if he succeeds, we'll have a Mizukage who views Konoha ninjas in a positive light, making him a possible ally in the future." No one mentioned that if he succeeded it'd mean that the current Mizukage, one of the many reasons for the Hokage's nightly headaches, would be no more. They had released an enemy who had a chance of beating that beast and had no way to be traced back to them. Very astute.

"Excellent. Very well done, you two. Relay my praise to your teams." There was no need to point out to Kakashi that he'd need to make his team work on their teamwork. He was a competent instructor, and the Hokage was sure he already had plans for it. Still, there was one more thing he wanted the jounin to do. "Kakashi, stay for a minute."

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**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

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Later the next day, as usual, team 7 made sure not to lose Kakashi-sensei from view, in fear he would turn up late for their dinner with Mahou-sama.

They all had a great time and the genin left shortly after dinner was done. The two jounin stayed for their first lesson in magic. "Magic, as you know, is nothing more than one half of the energy you call chakra, the spiritual part, to be exact. To be able to learn Magic, you must only draw on this part of your chakra, if you try to mix it, my spells and other techniques will not work," she told them. She'd tried combining chakra with spells, having learned to manipulate chakra from the scrolls in the library. While there were spells that could be adapted to function with chakra, they became jutsus in the process, making their execution completely different. "We will start with a few basic things before we move on to Apparition. I'd like to be sure that you can channel magic properly before we attempt that. While I _can_ put you back together, I'd rather not have to do it." Hiding a smirk at their concerned glances, she proceeded to demonstrate a levitation spell and other basic moves that they would hopefully be able to get by the end of the month.

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**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

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_Meanwhile, back in England…_

"Harry, Harry!"

"Hey, Gin. What's got you so excited that couldn't wait till I got home?"

"Hermione's answer came back. She says she got permission from the Hokage for a visit!"

"I—I don't know, Gin… with the way things are, I don't really think I should leave. This thing could come to blows any day!"

"Oh, Harry… Don't you think you've given enough, already? You're not an Auror, you don't have to do this, you know?"

"I guess, but still, Gin… I feel… responsible."

"Responsible? The only person responsible is that good for nothing—argh! Seriously, Harry. You need a vacation. _We_ need a vacation! You owe nothing to Magical Britain, Harry, _nothing_. And this… this shit they're pulling now, I'm starting to think Hermione made the right choice and we should all move out and leave the ministry to finish destroying itself."

"I know, Gin. I told Hermione we'd go visit sometime, and to tell you the truth even then I was considering making it a one-way trip, too. It's just… I gave so much to be here, to defeat Voldemort, that if I go now, I'll feel as if I'm giving up. All my life, Gin, ever since I was targeted by Voldemort as a baby, even when I didn't know it, I was the Saviour, the Light-bringer, even with my current job and now…"

"Now you don't know if you can ever be anything else, because if you try you'll feel as if you're letting down everybody else. But Harry… no one else matters. Like I said, you don't owe anything to them. They already asked too much of you, now it's time to move on and be Harry Potter, not the Boy-Who-Lived, or the Man-Who-Conquered, or even the DADA Professor. It's time to be yourself and that…"

"That I can't do here, I know, Gin. You're right, Gin. You're absolutely right. Tell you what. We'll go down for a visit with Hermione as soon as we can arrange it. If we like it there, we'll ask the Hokage for permission to settle. Maybe even bring a few other people with us. Teddy, Andy, the twins. Our friends, our family. You're right, Magical Britain is going down and we should get out of here before it drags us down with it. If we don't like Konoha we can look into other villages there or maybe America. France is too close, or I'd suggest that. Somewhere no one has heard of the Boy-Who-Lived and where I can be just Harry."

"Oh, Harry," she leaned over and hugged him. "We'll go for that visit and if we get that approval we'll start sounding people out."

As they continued to hug the missed the single portrait who had been listening in on their conversation walk out of his frame to report his eavesdropping.

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**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

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A week later, Hermione decided to approach the topic of Sasuke's eyes with him and his sensei.

They entered her office and not wanting them to stand, she took out her wand and conjured two comfy chairs. She sat behind her desk, trying to look professional. From what she knew of Sasuke, it was the only way to even have a remote chance of convincing him to let her study his eyes.

"You said you wanted to talk, Granger-san?"

"Yes, Hatake-san. It's really Sasuke here who I wanted to talk to, though. You're here as the responsible adult." She took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. "When I was healing you back in the Land of Waves I noticed something wrong with your eyes, Sasuke-kun. I'd very much like it if you'd let me study them to figure out what's wrong."

Half-suspicious and half-apprehensive, Sasuke asked, "Wrong, Mahou-san?"

"Yes. The spell I used is a general diagnostic spell which pinpoints everything wrong in a person's body. Well, not everything, no spell can do that, but anything that is potentially harmful in an immediate way."

"But you say my eyes came up. That's not possible, the Sharingan isn't harmful."

"The spell detected a curse in your eyes. I will not force you to let me study them, but I ask you… implore you to let me, for your sake. Only things that have the potential to harm the individual show up with this spell and I am very worried about you."

"What kind of harm are we talking about here, Granger-san?"

"I don't know yet. It could be anything as innocuous as chakra exhaustion after prolonged use or a sealed ability, to something more ominous like blindness or death."

"Blindness or death? You're wrong, Mahou-san, no one has died or gone blind from the Sharingan, right Kakashi-sensei?" But Kakashi was silent, going through a mental list of every Uchiha he knew the cause of death for other than the massacre. Given the amount of them that had ended up in the ANBU corps his analysis was inconclusive at best. "No one has, right, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke sounded a bit more worried now.

"I—I can't give you a straight answer now, Sasuke, I'd have to go through the medical records of your family. But from what I can remember there do exist some irregularities. What do you intend to do, Granger-san?"

"Well, first step is studying the eyes and discovering the nature of the curse behind them. After that, if the curse proves to be harmful, find a way to counteract it or remove it completely. Rest assured I'll do my best to find a way to isolate the curse so that you may retain your Sharingan, I understand it is part of your heritage and an extremely useful tool. I will, of course, leave the final course of action upon your hands, but if it is a case of blindness or death you _will_ learn how to seal it on your own in case you need to."

"Could I have a moment alone with Sasuke, Granger-san?"

"I'll wait outside. The room is warded for silence, so when you're done, you'll have to open the door and call. Take all the time you need."

Ten minutes later Sasuke came to get her. He appeared resolute. Once they were all seated again, he spoke. "I will allow you to study the Sharingan, Mahou-san on the condition that everything you find out is kept confidential, and records that you have be added to the Uchiha library and that you show your findings to no one else."

"I agree with all but the last one," she raised her hand to stem his complaints. "I have friends who will visit soon. One of them is a Healer, a proper one, not self-taught like myself. I'd like for at least her and my best friend, Harry, to help me if possible. He is the Professor in Defence Against the Dark Arts and as such is an expert in curses of all kinds. I may need their input. I also would like to have the option to call on other sources for help if I find myself unable to discover the cause for myself."

Sasuke and Kakashi exchanged a look. In this, the teacher would bow to the student, though. It was his family and his legacy. Sasuke nodded. "Then you may only share your results with those who would help you understand and counteract the curse. No one else, including the Council and the Hokage."

Hermione sighed, knowing she would not get a better deal. "Alright. You will come half an hour earlier next time Hatake-san and Kurenai-san have training, which ought to be enough to shoot a few different diagnostic spells your way. We'll go from there, agree?"

"I should be part of those sessions too, Granger-san."

"Oh, yes, of course, Hatake-san. I wouldn't presume to restrict access to your student."

"No, Granger-san, you don't understand. I have the Sharingan too."

"But, that's impossible, it didn't show up when I diagnosed you!" Though she did remember hearing something about that when she had asked around about him. She had dismissed it as rumour, though.

"In assure you, Granger-san, I have it. Maybe the difference is that while Sasuke was born with it, mine was… a gift from a fallen teammate."

"I see. Yes, then both of you should come earlier the days of your lessons, Hatake-san."

The next three sessions saw them arriving early, though they didn't make much progress. All her spells said the same thing: there was a curse related to the eyes. As to what curse it was, or how it would affect them, she had found nothing yet. The only thing she had found was that there seemed to be stages, and that Kakashi's curse was one step more advanced than Sasuke's. She had yet to tell them this, not having had time to corroborate her findings.

As for the lessons, they were going well. Kurenai and sometimes Kakashi stayed a bit longer just making conversation. She found herself telling them about Britain and her life there. She didn't touch much on the immediate reasons for her departure, that was private, but they had lots of discussions on her, and their, abilities. Kurenai had even begun teaching her the three basic academy jutsus one day.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"What do you mean his is more advanced than mine, Mahou-san?"

"So far the only thing I've been able to discover, Sasuke-kun is that this curse has stages, and his is more advanced than yours. More so, his appears to be… dormant."

"Dormant?"

"Yes. As if it's already ran its course."

"Hmm… maybe it's the fact that his is incomplete? He has only developed two tomoe, while I have all three."

Hermione shook her head. "No. I took that into account. Both two and three tomoe count as stage one. Yours is more advanced than that. And as far as I can tell, your Sharingan, Hatake-san, is always on its released form, though I still do not know why, stage one, but there is a second form behind it, stage two."

Sasuke stood up and slammed his hands on the table. "He has the Mangekyou Sharingan?!"

"The what?" She looked at Kakashi, but he appeared to be as confused as she was.

"Mangekyou Sharingan, the second stage of the Sharingan. It was guarded as a secret within the Clan. I only know about because It—because _that man  
_told me that to acquire it—that to acquire it you had to kill the person closest to you," he mumbled to the floor. Hermione gasped in horror and Kakashi… Kakashi was taken back to that day when Rin had run into the path of his Chidori.

Unable and unwilling to deal with the memory, Kakashi soon wrapped up the conversation and when it was time to leave, shunshined right out of the office.

Hermione stared at the now empty chairs. "Kakashi…"

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"So, care to tell me what really happened?" Hermione had ended giving Kurenai a one-on-one lesson, and in return had learned a few new tricks herself. She could now perform all three basic jutsus—Kawarimi, Henge, Bunshin—and had already decided to increase her reserves of chakra (the whole thing, not just magic), so she could safely perform the Kage Bunshin. It was way too useful not to know it.

"I'm sorry?"

"With Kakashi and Sasuke. Oh, don't look at me like that, I've known for quite a while that they've both been coming here earlier. My guess, it has something to do with those eyes of theirs. So. What happened?"

Hermione sighed. Per her agreement with Sasuke she couldn't really tell the red-eyed jounin all that much and she told her so, but tried to explain as best she could. "I can't really say much, and it's kind of… personal, but our discussion brought what I can only guess to be some very unpleasant memories forth. Ka—Hatake-san, he… left. Didn't say anything much after the topic was brought up, he just shunshined out of my office."

Kurenai closed her eyes. She could only guess what horrible memento from the past Kakashi had been forced to relive today. She knew his Sharingan came from a dead teammate, the same dead teammate Kakashi spent his mornings and sometimes evenings visiting.

"I think I know where he is. I don't think he'd like to be disturbed though. When he goes to… that place, he usually wants to be alone. I wouldn't worry too much, Hermione, Kakashi's a strong man, he'll be back tomorrow acting as if nothing happened, you'll see."

Hermione nodded, and could only hope the other woman was right. Remembering the look of pure anguish in Kakashi's only visible eye… yes, she could only hope.

Half an hour later she was standing in front of a mirror, looking at her reflection.

"I really don't know why I agreed to this."

"I do. You were about to face a night of wallowing, and I insisted. You could not resist." It was true, in way. After their talk, Kurenai had guessed she planned to wallow for the rest of the night about the bungle she'd made of the talk with Kakashi and Sasuke (not that it'd been Hermione's fault, but she felt it was) and she had insisted Hermione accompany her to meet some of the other jounins.

All she knew was that when Kurenai asked her to consider it, a part of her, a part she had thought buried deep, deep inside had stirred and she had said "yes" before she had had time to think about it. The same place that had stirred when she had healed Umino-san's wounds, when she had caught Kakashi coming out of the shower and when he had held her after she had killed all those men.

The part of her that wanted to belong, that wanted friends, a companion, a lover, the part of her that she had thought Ronald had finished killing with his infidelity.

So here she was, ready to go out with her red-eyed, well, friend she supposed. She smiled at that. After three years in Konoha, she finally had a real friend. Naruto didn't count, he was more like an overactive, if adorable, puppy she had to babysit and help train once in a while more than anything else.

She was still unsure if Hatake-san could be counted as a friend. Before Wave, she had certainly thought they were well on their way there. That night had cemented her belief. But after they had come back, sometimes she had the feeling he was trying to keep himself from getting too close.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Laughter rang loud from their table. The Hermione that had lived in Britain, especially before the war, would've been terribly embarrassed about the noise they were making, but after the war, and especially after moving here to the Elemental Countries, she found herself freer of her inhibitions. Not to mention the copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed. She wasn't drunk by any standard of the word, but she was very tipsy and well on her way to reaching the former.

The jounin, Asuma, Kurenai, Gai, Genma and Raidou, were currently sharing tales about their genin teams, either from when they had been genin or the teams they were training currently. Genma and Raidou, who didn't have a genin team currently, shared some of their more amusing, non-classified missions. Hermione had shared some of her own stories, the funny ones, with a bit of aid from her magic to bring to life illusions to better illustrate them.

Right now, Asuma was sharing one of his stories from when he had been a guard for the Daimyo. It involved the Daimyo's sister, an enemy spy, a vat of honey and funnily enough, a flying squirrel.

He was just coming up to the punch line, where the squirrel flew through an open window, when Kakashi walked up to the table. His arrival was hidden by their table exploding in laughter once again, but Hermione noticed him at once. As Kurenai had said, there was nothing she could see, not that she knew him that well, which indicated the awkward way they had ended their conversation earlier that evening.

"Yo," he said when the laughter died down a bit.

"My Eternal Rival! Have you come to regale us with stories of your Springtime of Youth?"

Kakashi tilted his head before responding. "Huh? You said something?"

Hermione heard Gai mutter something about "hip" and "cool" but she wasn't nearly drunk enough to attempt to make sense of it. Genma, who was by far the drunkest of them all, started to squeeze further into the booth so Kakashi could sit with them—beside her. "You can sit here, Kakashi, just beside Hermimimi—Hermiami—Hermiminee!" Hermione was taken back to her fourth year and another person who couldn't pronounce her name. She couldn't help but giggle a bit at that.

"Hermione. Her name's Hermione, Genma," he corrected as he perched himself on the small spot that had opened on the edge of the booth. When she gasped, she really hadn't known he even knew her name, much less how to pronounce it correctly, he turned to her with what she was sure would've been a killer smile—had she been able to see it under his mask.

She wondered, as she had since meeting him, what the mask hid. She knew it couldn't be any sort of terrible disfigurement—she had heard Team 7 wonder about fish lips once or twice—the mask wouldn't fit as smoothly if it were. Later she would blame the alcohol, but she really was very tempted to try and see the face behind the mask.

A kick from under the table, she guessed Kurenai, brought her back to realize she had been staring. Blushing, she looked away and started telling a story Naruto had told her about one of the times he had escaped from ANBU. Soon, the table was laughing loudly again. She did a double take, though, when Raidou then proceeded to tell the other side of it. He had been, apparently, one of the ANBU tasked with catching little Naruto that time.

The evening passed like that, trading stories and anecdotes, the jounin more than her, since her stories needed a bit of context to understand, but all in all, she had a great time. When the bar owner approached them to tell them the bar was closing and they had to leave, they went their separate ways.

Hermione smiled when she saw Kurenai hanging off of Asuma, she had a pretty good idea of what they were heading off to do next. Gai departed with Genma and Raidou, they apparently lived in the same jounin complex, so walked home together. For some reason, even if he hadn't walked off with them, she'd assumed Hatake-san would go with them, so she was surprised when she turned to walk back to her house, which was on the other side of town from the jounin to see him standing there waiting for her.

"I'll walk you home," he said simply.

"There's no need, Hatake-san. I can take care of myself."

He stood there, impassive. "Still, Granger-san, I'd like to walk you home."

"You've seen what I can do. While I wouldn't Apparate while drunk, you know very well I can take anyone who might be stupid enough to attack me, even if I have had a bit to drink."

Kakashi saw this as an opportunity. While loyal to the village and the Hokage he really hadn't liked being asked to find out more about the witch's abilities. He liked her. Not in a romantic sense, though he was fairly sure Kurenai was convinced of that, but as a person. And he hadn't liked new people in a very long time. Besides, he owed her the life of his team as well as his own. But the Hokage had commanded, and this gave him a perfect chance. They started walking. "Anyone?"

"Well, not _anyone_. I'm quite certain I couldn't go up against _you_, even if your abilities have decreased so much in the last few years, but the run of the mill jounin? It wouldn't be easy, but as long as it's not a one-hit kill shot, I'm sure I'd be able to get away. While I wouldn't want to Apparate drunk I can certainly do it."

"I meant in a fight, actually," he chuckled, trying to make light of the questions. Though he was a bit miffed about her dig at his abilities. They hadn't decreased that much, had they?

"In a direct fight? Hmm…" He waited while she thought it over. "I'd say, and once again this is discounting one-hit kill shots, I'd be able to take down up to a high chuunin. If I were faster, I'm sure that would change, and I could probably go against some of your jounin." She nodded, satisfied with her answer.

Kakashi, on his side, was a bit sceptical. While he had seen her against those thugs, ninja, especially chuunin and jounin were a different story altogether. "Are you sure you're not underestimating Konoha's shinobi?"

She nodded again. "Mhmm. While I'm sure I haven't seen all a shinobi can do, _you_ have not seen everything I can do, either. Of course, what I _can_ and what I'm _willing_ to do, are two different things."

He looked at her strangely. "How so?"

"Well, you know how there's missing nin?" He noticed she didn't wait for his nod. "And how you know the same things, or some of the same things as missing nin? Well, in the same way, as there exist missing nin, there are dark witches and wizards. And I know a lot of the same stuff they do. Stuff that most people don't. I'd never _use_ it, but the knowledge is there." She turned, and he realized they were at the door to her property. The moon shone on them both, giving her an eerie aura of power and mystery.

Not for the first time since they met, Kakashi was faced with the reality that Hermione was a beautiful woman. Exotic, even, to the eye accustomed to the Elemental Countries' usual female. Had he been even a little bit honest with himself, something that regarding his feelings for the opposite sex he had not been for nearly twelve years, now, he might have admitted that he was attracted to her. Her next words made it even harder to deny, but he still managed it, though deep down he knew the truth. "I am a very dangerous woman, Hatake Kakashi."

And the look in her eye when she said so confirmed it for him. He smiled, though. "And I," he said, just as quietly, "I am a very dangerous man."

She stepped inside her house and had just about closed the door when her voice carried from over the threshold. "Yes, you are." He stood there a while longer, until the light he knew was her bedroom turned off.

Sighing, he took a well-worn orange book from his hip pouch. He had a lot to think about.

* * *

Yay! Chapter end. Hope you enjoyed it. The attraction between the two is budding, but Kakashi's assignment is making him keep his distance! Will he be able to do it? He he, keep reading and you'll find out!

Also for that reviwer that asked me not to make Hermione a Mary Sue, I'm trying. Also, take note that her saying she can take on a high chuunin or some jounins is *her* opinion based on what she has seen, which may or may not match the facts. Wait and see.

Hit me with some reviews lovelies! I adore them :D

Cheers,

C.


	6. Stones In a Pond

Hello there my dear, lovely, lovable readers! You can see I'm all happy and hyped up, well, that's cause you guys are awesome and review so much! As promised, Chapter 6 of The Witch Hidden in the Leaf! Chapter title is kind of ominous, even if it won't be readily apparent. Chapter subtitle will come into play soon!

Extra extra long chapter cause I love you all! Though the extra long comes with a price... you'll see!

Also, for those that didn't know, this is Unbeta-ed, I do my best but English is not my first language. If you find any mistakes, and I'm quite sure there are many, please do let me know so I can correct them!

Disclaimer: I dreamed I owned both HP and Naruto... then I woke up and my wallet was still empty. Do not own either!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Stones in a Pond (also: The Curse of Dark Souls)**

The conversation with Hermione kept troubling him over the next few days. He had reported to the Hokage, who had seemed as sceptical as him of her belief that she could go toe-to-toe with a chuunin. Still, better safe than sorry, they had agreed and had decided to tread with caution when it came to her abilities. At least the Hokage had the reassurance Hermione would not harm Konoha. From her story when she had just arrived he knew that as long as the village didn't betray her as her own people had she would not move against them.

There was one thing she had said that he hadn't mentioned to the Hokage, though, and it kept troubling him. It was personal, and he hadn't wanted to give the Hokage reason to doubt him.

He couldn't seek out Asuma, because he would feel obligated to mention it to his father. For the same reason, he couldn't talk it over with Kurenai, who would mention it to Asuma. He really did not want to approach Gai with his question either, the man would take it as a personal challenge. Anko would just laugh at him, and they weren't close enough that he'd just allow that from her.

With a sigh, he realized the only person he could ask what Hermione meant, was Hermione herself. This is why he had found himself that evening after team training in front of her house. He had been there for ten minutes already and had yet to knock. He raised his fist for the fifth time to knock when a voice from behind him stopped him.

"Oh, Hatake-san. I didn't expect you here today. I thought lessons with Kurenai were not until tomorrow." He hadn't seen her since that night Kurenai had dragged her to drink with the jounins a few days ago. _Nature has a twisted sense of balance,_ he thought, watching the setting sun flare behind her, giving the appearance of her having a flaming aura.

"You're right, I'm not here for a lesson. I—I was wondering if we could talk." Seeing she was waiting for him to keep talking, he clarified. "Privately."

"Oh. Right. Of course." She unlocked the door and led him in. Kakashi watched her prepare some coffee and stayed silent until she was sitting on the other end of the couch. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I—umm it's something you said the other night that bothered me, actually. I thought about asking someone else, but then again…" He stopped there. He was being too free with his words. "You said something about me not being as good as I used to be. What exactly did you mean by that, Granger-san?"

"That was wrong of me to say, Hatake-san. Please, forgive me. I was drunk and shouldn't have said that."

"You must have had some reason, though. I won't be upset, but I need to know why you thought that." If someone had spread rumours about him being less skilled than he was, it could seriously damage his reputation. While he was certain he could deal with any assassination attempts on his own, he did not want to put his team in jeopardy. And—though he was loath to think of it—what if she had an actual reason? What if he really had slipped?

"Well. Not much, really. I just—" she took a deep breath. "When I first met Naruto, he was very lonely. His teachers sabotaged his education and he had no friends. No adults in his life except Hokage-sama and a couple at a restaurant. He considered Umino-san a precious person, too, but he was only his academy teacher who occasionally took him out for ramen—not really a parental figure." He nodded at her to continue, even if he had no idea how this related to his question. "I took an interest in him, as you know. Tried to tutor him in his academy classes, got Hokage-sama to assign a tutor for him in the shinobi arts I could not help him with. When I heard from him that all genins were assigned a team sensei, I was curious. I—with Genma's help—had managed to undo much of the sabotage his instructors from the Academy piled on him, I didn't want him to go to a jounin instructor who would treat him like that again." She sighed and fiddled with her cup, probably trying to organize her thoughts.

She continued, and he was surprised to see a rosy blush on her cheeks. "I asked around, did a little umm—eavesdropping. I managed to find out who the jounin senseis for this generation were. After that it was easy enough to go to the library and research them. I was extremely surprised by what I found on some of them. You and Asuma-san certainly seemed grossly overqualified. When Naruto told me you were his sensei, I dug a little more." Here, she stopped and smiled widely. "You have no idea how easy it was. A few well-placed transfigurations and glamour charms, bad lighting…" She trailed off. "You won't tell anyone, will you? I really don't want to get in trouble over this."

"If you broke no laws, you can be assured of my silence."

She huffed. "Well. I headed to a few of the bars that usually cater to shinobi. Struck conversations with some of the most drunk ones. Like a said, a basic disguise, no one knew I didn't belong. A few well-placed comments and most of them were merrily wagging away about _Copy Ninja Kakashi_, apprentice of the late Yondaime Hokage. I even heard about you having the Sharingan, but when my scan on you back in Wave came back negative, I thought it was just rumour. The more alcohol the freer their tongues got. Tales of your missions and abilities. Your techniques, your successes. Of course," she said, and here she blushed brightly. "I also got tales of your… other… successes." She cleared her throat and continued, obviously making light of that. He was curious now, though, what did the kunoichi population say about him? While he hadn't had a relationship in years, he certainly had not been without bed partners. Most shinobi needed the release of sex to deal with the stress of their daily lives. If one wanted to know what happened to a sex-starved shinobi, one had only to look at Gai.

"In any case," she continued. "I suppose some of those tales might have been inflated with time, or just your run-of-the-mill rumour chain. According to _those_ rumours, you could've taken down Zabuza _and_ his apprentice, all two hundred thugs and still have enough energy to… enjoy the spoils, so to speak. I realize, of course, that using your eye exhausts you… but then again…" She stopped when she saw him frown. "I'm sorry. I have offended you. I should not have said any of that. I am intruding, and relying in rumour to find out your abilities was beyond foolish."

"No, no, Granger-san. I am not offended," here he sighed. He really wished she was more of a friend rather than acquaintance and they could drop the formalities. He was tired of watching his words and apologizing at every turn. "I was thinking about what you said. Up until that night I really thought I hadn't let myself go as much, of course the edge I gained in ANBU would've been dulled some, but hearing you describe it like that… I have let myself go much more than I thought I had. This is not good. Ten years ago you would've been right. I'd have been able to deal with both the Demon of the Mist and his apprentice plus any amount of thugs Gatou decided to throw at us, especially with another jounin at my back like Kurenai. Not to mention the… spoils." Unbidden his mind went back to that night, when he had seen her standing outside Tazuna's house, dressed in nothing more than a black nightgown that barely reached her knees and left little to the imagination. Shaking his head to rid himself of the—tempting—image, he smiled at her and drained his coffee. "Thank you, Granger-san, for your input. You have certainly given me a lot to think about. And the coffee. As always, your coffee is delicious. I must get going now."

"You're welcome, Hatake-san. Though there is one thing I wanted to ask, and since we appear to be in a sharing mood…"

"Ask away," he said, curious.

"Most people can't pronounce my name, so they call me Mahou-san or Mahou-sama. You, on the other hand, can. I was wondering, though, why you call me Granger-san and not Hermione. Until the other night I just assumed you either didn't know my name or how to pronounce it, but…"

He frowned. "Well, it is proper, I suppose. We do not really know each other that well, and it is custom to address someone you do not know well by their last name. Is this different where you come from? You call me Hatake-san, as well."

"Well, no. Not really. I called you that because you called me Granger-san when we first met, but I personally prefer first names. They make conversation less… formal, I suppose. Never mind, it was just an idle thought." She stood up and led him to the door. She was just about to close it when he stuck his hand in, holding it in place. He really didn't know why he said what he did, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"I'd like it very much if you called me Kakashi." He smiled again when she beamed.

"Then I'd like it very much if you called me Hermione, Kakashi-san."

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Kakashi's genin had no idea what had possessed him the last few days. Ever since returning from Wave he had stepped up their training, but had kept himself out of it. Then one day he had just showed up and started training alongside them and upped their training again. Not only that, but his orange book only ever made an appearance after training, and—and this was the most damming—he was almost _on time_.

They dared not say anything, even though that first day they had suspected an impostor, though, as he did what they did and more. While they ran twice around the village, he'd run ten times in the same amount of time. If they did fifty push-ups or sit-ups, he'd do 250 at least. All in the same time they took. They were afraid that if they were to complain, he'd demand they do what he did instead.

Taijutsu training had all of them pitched against him at the same time, and to their shock, especially Sasuke's who had still been convinced he could hold his own against him, they barely ever managed to touch him, let alone overcome him. After a week of the Twilight Zone, Naruto had had enough and demanded an explanation.

"I had my eyes opened, Naruto-kun."

Naruto snorted. "You only have one eye, 'kashi-sensei."

"Baka! Don't be disrespectful." Sakura's shrill voice cut across whatever he was going to say next.

"Well, my _eye_ then. I have been lax, in both your training and my own. The mission to Wave pointed out that you guys needed to work more in your teamwork and that's what I'd been focusing on, but this," he said, his hand encompassing the training ground they were at, littered with stray weapons and the occasional singe mark. "Is how training should've been from day one. Since you showed such lack of teamwork at the beginning and in Wave I decided to take a different approach, but it appears to have been detrimental to both you and myself." He ignored Sasuke's ill-disguised grunt whenever he mentioned teamwork in exasperation. After a week of barely being able to touch him while fighting _with_ his two teammates he'd have thought Sasuke would've realized he had taken it very easy on him the day of the bell test. Apparently, he gave the last Uchiha too much credit.

While not exactly the truth, the talk with Hermione hadn't even touched the genin, he had realized later, while sparring with Gai, that this would be a much better approach for his genin. Hadn't Gai complained about his own team's lack of teamwork at the beginning? Yet now, despite their personal differences he knew they worked like a very well-oiled machine. And if Gai had managed to make a Hyuuga of all people work with someone who couldn't use chakra, despite their differences outside of missions, then he'd be dammed if he couldn't get his team to work together.

Had anybody asked, of course, this was _not_, under any circumstances, a competition against Gai. No, sir. Not at all.

Still, Gai had the right idea. Train them until they were too tired to think for themselves and followed orders like good puppies. They'd get used to working together soon enough and it'd become second nature.

"But Kakashi-sensei…"

"Yes, Sakura-chan?"

"I've seen the other teams train and they don't do anything like this," she complained.

"Ano, that's because the teams have different specializations. Team 10, under Asuma, is a Capture and Interrogation Team, while Kurenai's Team 8 is a Tracking Team. While all teams need to know how to fight properly, they focus on different skills. You," he said pointing to the three exhausted genin. "Are a Front-Line Combat Team. As such, your teamwork should be impeccable and your fighting power unmatched. We haven't had a Front-Line combat team in years, since my own Team 7, actually. In any case, it is not up to you, my cute little genins, to wonder about your training schedule. I dictate it, you follow it."

Naruto sniffed. "That's unfair."

Kakashi ruffled his hair. "When you have your own genin team, Naruto-kun, you can train them how you see fit. For now, though… I want you to run fifty laps around the lake on your hands. If I overtake you more than five times per lap, we'll double it. Run along, now."

Their groans were music to his ears.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Hermione was worried. It had been more than a month since she had sent Ginny her reply. The redhead never went more than a couple of weeks without writing back, and while she knew both her and Harry were busy and mail from the Outside was sometimes slow to come, she couldn't help but worry.

Ginny's last letter hinted that the atmosphere in Magical Britain was coming to a breaking point. While not as bad as the actual Blood Wars, it was still tense and prone to snap like an overly taut guitar string. She knew, from her thinly veiled inquiries, that Ginny had been asking about Konoha with an eye to actually settling here, not just coming for a visit. She had been honest with the Hokage about her suspicions. He had been nothing short of accommodating to her, and while she didn't exactly trust him not have a hidden agenda, he was a politician after all, and she couldn't help but be concerned for her friends.

Now after almost a month with no word, she was starting to fear for her friends. After a little while, though, she shook her head to dispel her thoughts. _They are fine_, she told herself. _Both Ginny and Harry are very capable and more than able to handle whatever those half-wit wizards throw at them. They must be very busy with the end of the school year, is all. I'm sure I'll hear from them soon enough._

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Kurenai frowned as she practiced a Switching Spell. She had supposed it to be easy, as the Kawarimi appeared to be nothing more than a Switching Spell performed on oneself, but since she was supposed to use just Yin chakra, it made the process a bit harder.

Hermione had said, and also demonstrated, that with sufficient mastery of the spell it was possible to switch things that you could barely see, such as the weapons from a half opened weapon pouch in your opponent's leg. Both her and Kakashi had jumped at the possibilities a spell like that could have for missions and fights. While they knew, and Hermione had once again reiterated, that such mastery would be a long time in coming, it didn't take much chakra and they could keep up their practice in the evenings or before going to bed. She certainly did, and she was sure Kakashi did too.

Deciding to take a break for a few seconds, she looked over to where Hermione was coaching Kakashi. At first she had been confused about this and had almost mentioned the Sharingan's ability to copy chakra techniques, but had refrained. She was glad she had. Hermione was adjusting Kakashi's hand gesture, a bit of a grab-and-pull with a twirl, and Kurenai was giddy to see a very faint rosy blush on the other woman's cheeks. Kakashi, as always, showed no such thing, but she was quite sure his refraining from using the Sharingan meant he _wanted_ Hermione coaching him like that.

While the other woman's touches did nothing for her, she had Asuma and didn't swing that way, she could recognize she had a very soft touch and could see the appeal one-on-one coaching like this would have to an unattached man.

When Kakashi successfully switched the rock he had in his left hand with the plant pot he'd been aiming at, Kurenai went back to her own exercise. She couldn't help but smile, though, as she watched out the corner of her eyes how Hermione showed him how to switch two things not in his possession before walking over to her.

"All good, Kurenai?"

"Yeah. Just the same problem as before. I keep channelling Yang chakra into the spell which makes it fail. I'll get it soon enough." That was her main problem, while Kakashi's were the hand gestures. He had copied so many jutsus with his Sharingan, she supposed, that his muscle memory was full of hand-seals which made learning to channel chakra with other gestures harder.

"Alright."

"Say, Hermione…" she said while attempting the Switching Spell again. She smiled when the flower pot she was aiming at twitched.

"Mmm?"

Kurenai lowered her voice to a whisper. "What's going on with you and Kakashi?" Hermione blushed.

"There—there's nothing going on. Why do you ask?" Right. Nothing. Not fooling anyone.

"Not much, just wondering. I noticed you guys started calling each other by your first names, and well…"

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Well what?"

"Well… you _blush_ around him," Kurenai finished, giggling.

"I do not!" Hermione said loudly and blushing once again.

"Maa, maa, what are you two girls gossiping about?" Kakashi asked from the other side of the room.

"Nothing!" came the twin reply.

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "Let's just get back to work…"

It was a couple of hours later after they finished their lesson, and the two jounin had mastered the spell, that Kurenai had the chance to talk alone with Hermione again. While perfectly willing to tease the other woman, she didn't want to ruin any chance of her actually engaging in a relationship with Kakashi, which is why she hadn't told the other jounin about their conversation and had refrained from continuing to tease her in front of him. But now, Kakashi had left, they were walking through the streets to the jounin bar, and Kurenai had her chance.

"You really do blush around him, you know." She watched as Hermione stilled for a second before continuing to walk. It was a very minute reaction, she doubted a civilian would've caught it, but she was jounin, so it was easy for her.

Hermione sighed, resigned. "I know."

"So you really _do_ like him." Kurenai smiled in triumph, but it faded a bit when Hermione shook her head.

"No. I don't know him enough to actually _like_ him, but he intrigues me, and…" she stopped, blushing furiously.

"And..?"

"Well, he's very attractive. From where I come from, especially the Wizarding World, men are not as concerned with their appearance. Here, at least shinobi, they keep in shape. It is quite the cultural difference. Not to mention extremely pleasing to the eye."

Kurenai smirked from besides her. "I can imagine."

"Indeed."

"There was something else I wanted to ask you," she said, donning a serious expression.

"Yes?"

"It's about my student, Hinata."

Hermione caught on quickly. "You want me to teach her magic."

"Yes. I believe it would be very beneficial for her, not only because of her fighting style would be ideally suited for it, but for her confidence. Knowing something that almost no one in the whole of the Shinobi Lands is proficient in would be a great boost for her confidence."

"What would you want me to teach her?"

"Well, I have a fair idea of what you can do, but I think that she should demonstrate some of her abilities and you should choose for yourself. You would know, after all, what of what you know would suit her best."

Hermione pursed her lips, thinking. She wasn't against the idea, she was concerned about the learning pace. Kakashi and Kurenai learned rather fast, especially compared to Hogwarts' students. She surmised this was because they used chakra from a young age without the help—or hindrance—of a wand or other foci, and also had great mastery over their chakra. Hinata, on the other hand, was young, and probably wouldn't have as much mastery. Or she would be even easier to teach, since she wasn't as used to mixing physical and spiritual chakra.

It appeared she had taken too long to respond, because Kurenai's voice broke through her thoughts. "It's okay if you don't want to, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, no, it's not that. I would be delighted. I was thinking, though, about the learning rates. You and Kakashi are jounin and have much more control over your chakra than Hinata would have. I am concerned that using magic—chakra—in this new way would be too hard for her."

Kurenai shook her head. "Hinata, due to a mix of her doujutsu and innate talent, has exceptional chakra control. With practice and dedication I'm quite sure she would become an exceptional medic-nin or genjutsu mistress. You don't need to worry about that."

Hermione nodded, her concern eased for the time being. "Alright. I'll teach her. Have her come after your team training is done for the day on the days we do not have lessons. The other days, as you know, Kakashi and Sasuke are here."

Kurenai smiled. "Thanks, Hermione. I appreciate you doing this."

"It's my pleasure," she said, returning the smile.

Unknown to them, someone had heard their conversation from a side alley. Red, jealous eyes flashed once before he made his way home to brood.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Hermione smiled over at the shy, white-eyed girl. "Hello, Hinata-chan."

"H-hello, Mahou-sensei."

"I see Kurenai told you what she asked me to do, then?"

"Ha-hai, Sensei."

"Good. I have one question before we begin, though."

"Yes, sensei?"

"Do _you_ want me to teach you magic?" Hinata was about to answer yes when Hermione interrupted her. "I want you to think about it, Hinata-chan. This is a very different way of using chakra, and you won't be able to do what I did in Wave for many years yet. It requires perseverance and dedication. If this is just something your Sensei wants, let me know, and then we won't waste our time. If _you_ want it, then be prepared, and we will both work together at it, ok?"

Hinata didn't really have to think very long. "Ha-hai. I wish for you to teach me magic, Mahou-sensei."

Hermione smiled. "Good." She took a seat, cross-legged in a space she had cleared on her sitting room just for this occasion. "Take a seat in front of me, Hinata-chan. Like that. Now close your eyes," she continued, closing her own eyes as she spoke. "I want you to find your chakra, Hinata-chan. Dive deep into your soul and feel that energy that makes you live." She opened one eye to peek at the dark-haired girl. "Let me know when you have it, Hinata-chan."

After a couple of minutes Hinata piped up. "I-I think I have it, Mahou-sensei."

"Good. Now I want you to feel your chakra. Know every part of it. Once you do, you will start to see that it has two parts. Let me know when you do."

Once again, it only took the shy girl a few minutes to feel the differences in her chakra. She told Hermione so, and even though she couldn't see, she could hear the smile and the proud tone of voice Hermione had when speaking. It made her feel very good. "One of those halves is the physical part of your chakra. It will feel energetic, in constant movement, like…"

Hinata interrupted. "Like rushing water. Waterfalls and rapids. Whirlpools." Hermione and Kurenai, who had so far remained quiet, were surprised. At her age, Hinata's chakra shouldn't have her element so strictly defined. This meant that she probably had an extremely strong affinity to water.

"Yes, Hinata, exactly like that. That is your physical chakra. Now the other half, the half that is calm and deep, like…" she took a second to think. "Like a deep lake, or the ocean, perhaps. That is your spiritual chakra. Your magic. This is the energy you will use while training with me. Feel it, Hinata-chan. Know it. You must be able to recognize it easily and call on it without a thought, as fast as you call your whole chakra, you must be able to call on your magic."

"Hai, Sensei."

"Alright. We'll try a simple exercise. Don't worry if you don't get it, I had many classes on magic before I attempted it and even your Sensei took some time to get it." She waited until she saw Hinata was still concentrating before she continued. "I want you to dip into your magic, Hinata-chan, just your magic. Take a little bit of magic and have it travel from your chakra core to your body." She waited ten heartbeats before speaking again. "You feel the magic, Hinata-chan?"

"Hai, Sensei."

"Good. I want you to take that magic and make it travel through your body, Hinata-chan. Feel how it moves from one arm to the other, down one leg, and then the other. You feel it Hinata-chan?"

"I do, Sensei."

"Good. Now I want you to gather up that magic on one of your arms, whichever feels easier for now. Make it gather on your palm. Do you have it yet, Hinata-chan?" She asked coaxingly.

"I think so, Sensei."

"Now push that magic out of your body while telling it to become a ball of light. I want you to push it out and tell it to become a ball of light on the palm of your hand, Hinata-chan." Hermione and Kurenai both looked at the girl who now had her left arm extended and had to repress an excited giggle when a small pulsating light started to form. Hermione had thought that might happen. Not having channelled chakra for as long as the jounins meant that she would find it easier to separate the two types and she would probably find it much easier to learn.

Once the little ball of light was the size of a walnut it stabilized. Just in time, Hinata said, "That's all of it, Sensei. Did anything happen?"

"Open your eyes, Hinata-chan."

She did and gasped in surprise when she saw the little ball of light dancing on her palm. She was so surprised, though, that she cut off the flow of magic and it fizzled and died within seconds. She looked down, her eyes downcast and her lip trembling. "A-ano, Sensei. I-I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Hinata-chan. That was amazing! It took your sensei and Kakashi-sensei a couple of hours to do what you just did, right Kurenai?"

Kurenai nodded, still smiling at the girl. "Yup, and my ball of light wasn't nearly as bright as yours, Hinata-chan." It had been bigger, though, but this was about giving the girl more confidence, not shooting her down.

"Re-really, Kurenai-sensei?"

"Really."

"I think that's enough for today. I know it doesn't seem like much, but Kakashi and Kurenai told me that the first few times separating their chakra hit them very hard later that night. So you should go home and have an early night, alright? And you _must_ promise me, Hinata-chan, that you won't practice what I teach you without me or Kurenai-sensei there until I tell you you can, alright?"

"I promise, Sensei."

After the shy girl left, Hermione turned to Kurenai to give her some instructions for another short exercise for Hinata the next day. Kurenai would guide her through while Hermione was with Kakashi and Sasuke studying their eyes and its curse.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Hermione had just finished making some of the potions she sold to the hospital and the T&I Division when she felt her wards twinge. They hadn't stopped whoever it was, which meant it was either Naruto or one of his teammates or sensei, Kurenai or Hinata. They were the only ones with permanent access, since they visited so often. Well, they all did except Sakura, but she had included the girl when giving more permanent access to Kakashi and Sasuke.

She reached the front door shortly after the first knock and peeked through the peephole to see Kakashi standing there. Confused, she opened the door and invited him in.

"Kakashi-san. I wasn't expecting you today… did we move tomorrow's appointment?" She sounded confused.

"No, Hermione-san. I needed to talk to you about something in private." _This seems to be becoming a regular occurrence_, he thought.

She motioned for him to sit down and asked him to wait while she got tea and something to eat. She usually had something typical to Konoha for when the team visited and his presence other times were not exactly social, so she found herself offering some sweets from her homeland. While she didn't have much time to bake, after Ron and she had married, Molly had taken the time to teach her how to cook and bake with magic, severely cutting down her time in the kitchen, so she usually had something or other to nibble on.

She explained the strange confections to him when she saw him eyeing them warily, and had to take a sip of her tea to hide her amusement when he prepared to take the first bite. It also gave him an opportunity to eat at a more normal speed, since she knew he wouldn't let her see his face regardless.

She was very pleased when he hummed in approval. "This is really good, Hermione-san. You should introduce these sweets to the team, sometime."

"I wasn't sure if you would like them, so I always made sure to have something more local when you guys came to visit. I doubt though that you came here to share pastries with me, though, Kakashi-san."

"Quite right. I wanted to ask you why you haven't told Sasuke and me about finding out about the nature of the Sharingan's curse yet," he said, though nothing in his voice or posture betrayed anything more than curiosity. She liked to think, though, that she knew him by now a little bit more and could tell he was nervous about the answer.

With a sigh she put her cup down before answering. "It's true that I've identified the nature of the curse. I just wasn't sure how to approach it with Sasuke-kun or you, for that matter."

"We have a right to know, Hermione-san." She could definitely hear the edge in his voice this time.

"I know, it's just… Due to the nature of the curse, I didn't think my news would be well received."

He leaned back, one of his arms extended along the back of the couch he was sitting in. "Try me, I promise I won't bite."

Any other time she would have had to fight a small blush at that statement, but the seriousness of the situation prevented her from rising to the small bait. "Alright, you must force yourself to remain objective here, and think logically. Logic is the only counter to deep emotions, so until you overcome it, that will be your only defence. It is called the Curse of the Dark Soul. It is a curse that amplifies negative emotions, not only in their intensity but their duration. Makes a person far more likely to stew in the dark emotions that come in day-to-day life and make them far less likely to get over certain kinds of traumas, like losing a loved one. It also amplifies feelings such as the desire for revenge, jealousy, anger, rage, etc. Couple that with the Sharingan's perfect recall… It also dulls positive emotions, such as joy and happiness. Love. Well, I'm sure I don't have to explain it much further."

Kakashi, while outwardly showing no reaction, was rapidly analysing his feelings. He had always felt crushing guilt and sorrow over the passing of his teammates and sensei, but had never related the feeling to the possession of the Sharingan. Now, though, he could see the relation, somewhat. Twelve years was rather a long time to mourn someone as intensely as he did. He had been told so many times by a myriad of people, but had never thought his feelings to be artificially induced.

The moment that though crossed his mind, he felt anger. Anger that was quickly escalating to something more. Yet the logical part of his mind whispered that this was exactly what Hermione had been talking about. While he didn't show it, he was rather quick to anger, something he had had to learn how to control in ANBU. He took a few calming breaths before continuing his analysis.

There was also the fact that his father's death, which had been equally as traumatic as those of his two teammates and sensei, didn't affect him as much as theirs did. He still felt sorrow and guilt over it, but it wasn't nearly as crippling as the feelings his team's demise caused him. He had always thought it was because he had been much younger when it had occurred, but now…

"I was also wrong in your initial evaluation. I mentioned that the curse in you seemed to have run its course, but that's not the case," she continued after some moments. "It is, certainly, not as strong as in Sasuke-kun, it feels rather… muted. As if there's something in you that is fighting it constantly. My guess would be that you possess magic or chakra that is especially light-oriented."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds to consider that. "It's probably the White Chakra inherent to the Hatake line. Similar to a Kekkei Genkai, but not quite that. Well, in truth it _is_ a Kekkei Genkai but it lacks some of the requirements to be recognized as such under shinobi law. So what can be done about it?"

"The Curse? Well, in your case, I'd suggest trying to overwhelm it with your own chakra, though the process will more than likely be extremely painful. The curse is separate from the Sharingan itself, so it should not affect your ability to actually use the eye as it was intended, it might even allow you to use it fully, since you would have to essentially make the eye 'yours' in the process. As for Sasuke-kun… I've been trying to find something, anything, but I'm coming up with blanks."

"What about using my own chakra to purify his eyes?"

Hermione was shaking her head before he even finished speaking. "It wouldn't work. Your chakra would make the eyes yours, most likely preventing Sasuke from using them properly. We both know he wouldn't ever consent to that." She took another sip of her tea, steeling herself for what she had to say next. "The Curse is so advanced in Sasuke-kun it scares me, Kakashi. I fear that even were we to get rid of it tomorrow, his mind is too far trapped within the cycle of sorrow, rage and revenge that it would take nothing less that daily therapy for years to undo, therapy we both know he would never attend voluntarily, especially since it would most likely mean his dismissal or suspension from the Shinobi forces."

Kakashi forced himself to remain logical. While what she said certainly angered him, he now suspected his own reactions were being somewhat affected by the curse. This saddened him. Would that be his fate from now until he managed to get rid of it? Second guessing his reactions and feelings? He shook his head to rid himself of the morose thoughts. Only one thing to do, then. "First things first. You say that forcing enough of my own chakra into the eye to overwhelm it should allow me to get rid of it, right? Any recommendations before we start?" His only visible eye was curved into a false smile.

She gasped. "What? You don't mean to do it here and now, do you? You will need to head to the hospital, have someone monitor your heart-rate. I'd also suggest either a soldier-pill or a pepper-up potion before you start. You need to _really_ pump it full."

"Alright then, we'll do that and then we can both figure out a way to help Sasuke. You're right in thinking he won't want therapy, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. First we need to get rid of it to at least stagnate the growth of those emotions. And I need a clear head to help you with that, so to the hospital," here he grimaced. He _hated_ the hospital. "We go."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Hermione couldn't help but smile at the way he said 'we'. She compared it to Harry and Ron back in England where it would always be 'you'. You'll find it, you'll research this, you'll think of something. Never we.

She was shaken out of her thoughts when she felt his arm snake around her waist. She looked up at him to see his only dark grey eye curve in a smile before he shunshined them away.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Hinata had been having magic classes for four weeks now and she was happy. More than happy, she was ecstatic. Here was something in which she shone. Flourished. Both Kurenai-sensei and Mahou-sensei praised her for her rapid advancement and her ease at separating chakra and using it in this oh-so-different-but-no-less-wondrous way.

And they were proud. She could see it every time she succeeded in casting a new spell—not jutsu, she had been taught the difference. The third session when she had been asked to do _something_ with the ball of light and she had started making it change colours she had seen the gobsmacked looks on the two women.

After a few sessions she had explained that it had taken Mahou-sensei _years_ of study to be able to do that. Granted, Hinata had been instructed in chakra manipulation since a young age and had extremely good chakra control, but casting spells was so different.

She couldn't help but be a little proud of herself, too.

She made her way towards one of the numerous empty training grounds where she started going through her katas, humming to herself while she practiced. She smiled as she flowed gracefully from one form to the other, so concentrated in her exercises that she missed the snapping of a twig behind her. Missed the voice calling at her, angry.

She didn't miss, however, the small but sudden spike of killing intent. She turned just in time to see a dark blur come at her with a kunai. She managed to deflect it enough so that it didn't pierce her directly, but it slashed across her face.

Blood dripped into her eyes, and to a girl being raised in a doujutsu-using clan it was her worst nightmare. Prevented from seeing more than a black shirt moving rapidly, she brought up her arms, squinting through the blood to try and defend herself.

Left arm, blocked. Right arm, missed. The kunai slashed through her coat and pierced her arm deeply. A kick to her midsection left her breathless. She managed to, by luck, intercept the kunai headed for her stomach, but lost her balance and fell on her backside.

Terrified, she brought up her hands, in a last, futile effort to protect her face. Whoever it was that had attacked her, though, seemed to have changed his mind, for the next thing she knew, was that she heard a rage-filled yell, the _thunk_ of the kunai hitting the dirt in front of her and then silence. Until, "Katon: Goukakyou no Jutsu!"

She managed to avoid being hit directly, but the fireball grazed one side of her face and the arm she had raised to protect herself. Unable to attack back, run, escape or scream, she fell face down and passed out.

* * *

AN: MUAHAHAHAHAHA! First proper cliffhanger of the story! Woohooo! Pace of the story begins to move forward a bit. Chuunin exams are coming soon, so is Hermione's first clash with the Wizarding World since she left. Aren't you guys excited? I know I am. As for when Hermione and Kakashi will get together... hmm... that's for me to know and you to find out. Eventually. MUAHAHAHAHA.

Love you all my dear readers (even those that don't review!) Reviews are food for the soul, please feed me!

Cheers,

C.

PS: Aiming for 100 reviews this chapter, so review away! Nr. 100 will get ONE (1) REASONABLE wish granted. A sneak peek of next chapter, the inclusion of a certain scene (if it goes along with the plot of the story or wont detract from the overall plot), maybe an omake. Also, please sign in when you review, I can't contact you or answer your questions if you are a guest.


	7. To the Hospital We Go

Wow! I am amazed by the response to the story so far! You readers are the most awesome readers ever! I love you all!

A shorter chapter this time (last time was extra long, this is more normal length). We find out whether Hinata-chan survived or not, and we have a bit more Kakashi/Hermione interactions. Also, fist appearance of Hyuuga Hiashi! Hope you all like my rendition of the man, it is quite diferent, I think, than what you usually see in fanfictions. Or at least different to what I've read.

Other than that, not much happens, it's a bit of a filler and not my best work, either, I must confess. Anyways...

Disclaimer: I do not own, I wish I did.

* * *

**Chapter 7: To the Hospital... We Go**

She was still staring into Kakashi's only visible dark grey eye when Kurenai's voice interrupted them. Startled, she jumped back away from him, trying not to give in to the urge to blush. Her efforts were interrupted when Kurenai stood from her seat and distracted her attention. Her face, tense with the effort not to show any of the anguish Hermione could see she was feeling, was grim.

"You heard. Oh, Kami! I'm so glad you're here."

Hermione took a step towards her friend, worried. "Kurenai? What are you doing here?"

"You don't know?"

Kakashi spoke, his voice unusually serious. "We came here for something else. Who is it?" Who is it. For him there was no need to ask what. Someone had been hurt. "Asuma? Anko?"

"N-no. It's… It's Hinata," she answered, her voice breaking.

Hermione was on her in a second. "Hinata-chan? What happened? Is she alright now?"

"Hermione, stop. Let her speak."

"I—I don't know. I was contacted as her genin sensei. Got a message to head to the Hospital right away, that Hinata-chan had been found in one of the outer training grounds, hurt and unconscious. I've no idea of the extent of her injuries. Her—her family hasn't shown up yet."

Just at that moment, a medic-nin appeared from a door that led further in. He took a moment to look at the people gathered before making a beeline towards them.

"Kurenai-san."

"Akihiko-sensei. You treated Hinata-chan?"

"Hai. Her wounds are not serious, but they will scar. She fainted from blood loss, a cut in her forearm nicked an artery, but she was found in plenty of time. She is resting now. Has Hiashi-sama arrived?"

"No, he hasn't show up yet, Akihiko-sensei."

"You can go in now. Refer him to me when he arrives, I'll give him an exact rundown of her injuries."

"Hai." They all thanked him and made their way to Hinata's room.

Hermione didn't know if it was the reflection of the Hospital's white walls, a result from the blood loss or a combination of both, but Hinata looked deathly pale lying under the pristine sheets covering her body. Both her arms were wrapped in bandages and her face had another bandage that ran diagonally from her forehead to the opposite cheek. Most of her exposed face was covered in a thick salve that Hermione recognized as burn salve. Her hair was burnt and Hermione had no doubt she'd have to cut it almost to her scalp. Her body moved rhythmically with her breathing, up and down, reassuring the adults that despite her colouring she was alright.

Kurenai sat gingerly on the edge of the chair propped beside the head of the bed and clasped Hinata's uninjured hand in her own, gently running her fingers over it.

Kakashi and Hermione held back, feeling very much so like intruders as they watched Kurenai reassure the sleeping girl that she would find out who did this and that she would make them rue the first time their mother smiled at their father.

With a soft jerk of her sleeves, Kakashi made for her to follow him outside of the room. "Let's give her a moment alone with Hinata. We can wait right outside."

"Alright." They found their places outside the door, leaning carefully on each side, as if guarding the entrance. And they were, in a way. Anyone who would want to see the shy girl, would have to go between them. Hermione broke the silence after a couple of minutes. "What do you think happened?"

"I'm not sure. I'd like some more information before I'll be able to guess a bit more." He sank back into silence and just before Hermione was about to say something else, she saw someone else approach. Two some ones, actually. She straightened up, but saw that Kakashi remained in his slouched position. No matter, she was sure he was ready to respond to any kind of attack at a moment's notice. Certainly much readier than she was. Not that they'd need to. She recognized the jounin approaching, and, given that the boy with him was practically a clone, she surmised he was a student of his.

The green-clad man smiled widely when he saw them, though Hermione saw the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Kakashi, my rival!"

"Gai, indoor voice if you please."

Gai flashed him one of his blinding smiles, thumbs up and all. "Of course. This is the lovely Hinata-chan's room, then? Or is one of your own genin hurt?"

"This is Hinata's room, Gai-san."

"Ah, the lovely Mahou-san!" Hermione was startled. One moment Gai was beside Kakashi, the next, he had her hand in his and his lips were ghosting a hair's breadth from her skin. Hermione looked up at Kakashi, silently pleading that he save her from Gai's more… eccentric behaviours.

"So you've heard about Hinata, Gai?"

"Heard? No, my most youthful rival! Lee-kun here and I were the ones that found her! We've just come back from reporting to Hokage-sama."

Kakashi straightened up at that. "You found her? Would you mind telling me what happened?" Kakashi may have been retired from ANBU, but an attack inside the village walls made him antsy. He knew the official investigation would be handled by ANBU, but whatever he could gleam would serve to ease his paranoia—not to mention appease Kurenai for a while.

"My most youthful student will give you his report then. Lee-kun, you already know my rival, Kakashi, and this," he said, gesturing to a still somewhat weirded out Hermione. "Is the lovely Mahou-san, whose smile can inflame the fires of youth in men all across the five nations!"

Kakashi and Hermione both sweat-dropped at that. Hermione blushed brightly, burying her face behind her hands, and Kakashi… well, Kakashi didn't have it in him to deny it. She _did_ have a lovely smile.

Once again Hermione was startled by a green-clad figure appearing in front of her. Thankfully this one didn't make for her hand. He merely bowed formally before striking a pose. Feet wide, one hand in his hip, the other in front of him, thumb up. "I am Rock Lee, Konoha's Beautiful Wild Green Beast!"

"Oh, um… Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lee-kun." Returning a small bow of her own. She once again took the opportunity to look pleadingly at Kakashi. He must've taken pity on her, for he called attention to Lee wanting to hear his report.

"Yosh! I was running my 357th lap on top of Konoha's wall when I saw a small figure down on one of the training grounds. It did not appear to be moving, so I took it upon myself to investigate. By the time I arrived and saw the blood Gai-sensei had already overtaken me for that lap and made his way to me. Once we identified her as Neji's cousin, we brought her to the hospital and made our way to report to Hokage-sama! Yosh!"

"Which training ground was it?"

"It was training ground 36, Kakashi-rival-sensei!"

A strange look crossed his only visible eye. "Hmm. Gai, please stay here with Kurenai and Hermione. Don't let anyone other than them, the medics and Hinata's family inside."

"Yosh! I shall not fail in this most youthful of endeavours, my rival! The three beautiful flowers shall be safe under my watch! And if I fail to restrict entrance to this room, I shall run one thousand laps around Konoha on my hands! And if I cannot do that, I will climb the Hokage mountain with one hand behind my back! And if I cannot do that, I shall…"

"Maa, maa, Gai. I have places to be. Ja ne."

"Kakashi, wait!" Hermione walked over to where he was. The two green clad men took their previous positions around the door. "Please don't leave me alone with them!" She pleaded.

His mask moved in what she knew was a smile. "Maa, you'll be fine, Hermione. Gai's strong."

"That's not what I'm worried about," she deadpanned.

"Just tune him out and you'll be fine."

"But…"

"Hermione, please. I need to go see where she was found and if I'm right, I'll need to know that yo—Hinata is well protected. There's no one I'd rather she be with right now than Gai… and you. At least stay until her father gets here."

"You still think she's in danger? I—alright. But you better explain what this is about later!"

He reached out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. "I will. I promise."

A second later, there was nothing else there but a swirl of leaves. Not wanting to deal with the crazy duo, Hermione made her way inside the room to wait with Kurenai.

Hermione had been inside the room trying to show Kurenai some support and reassuring her that Kakashi had gone to investigate himself for a few minutes when the door opened again. She looked up to see two people, a man and a small girl, walk in. Both were obviously part of the Hyuuga Clan: same white eyes and regal posture. The man's face betrayed nothing, but the girl's was twisted in agony and had poorly concealed tear marks on her cheeks.

Kurenai stood up when she saw them. "Hiashi-sama," she said simply.

"Kurenai-san," he nodded lightly, very lightly, in her direction. He turned to Hermione with a perfectly defined eyebrow raised. "And you are..?"

"This is Hermione-san, Hiashi-sama. She is the instructor for Hinata-chan I talked to you about."

"Ah, yes. The mysterious Mahou-sensei. Hinata talks highly of you, Hermione-san."

Hermione repressed the urge to stare. Hinata talked little about her family, but Kurenai had filled her in some. The way they treated her was not abusive, far from it, but it was certainly neglectful. Intellectually, she understood why Hiashi had to be so strict and focus his training in the one he believed would be the Heir of the Clan, little Hanabi-chan, but her heart refused to believe that outright telling Hinata she was a failure was the right way to go. From what she knew of Hinata, gentle encouragement and praise was all that was needed to let the shy girl flourish.

Giving herself a mental shake, she nodded to Hinata's father. "Hiashi-sama, a pleasure to finally meet you." She looked down to Hanabi and smiled. "You must be Hanabi-chan. Hinata always tells me how proud she is of you, Hanabi-chan."

The girl took half a step from behind her father. She gave a respectful bow in her direction before looking up at her father. "Go to your sister, Hanabi. I have need to speak to her sensei."

"Hai, Father." Hermione observed Hanabi as she walked sedately towards Hinata. She was infinitely more confident than her older sister, just the way she walked, shoulders straight, head up, proved that.

Kurenai approached them, but Hiashi politely told her that he wanted to speak to Hermione alone. Puzzled, Hermione followed him out of the room and a little further away until they were out of immediate hearing.

"If you will allow me to be frank, Mahou-san, up until little over a month ago I was of the opinion that my eldest was weak. Yet since they start of your lessons, I've seen remarkable improvement. She still stutters and is as gentle and shy as her late mother, but even in the middle of sparring, or when she is being scolded, I've found her eyes flashing with a steel that, quite frankly, I'd given up trying to find. I wish to know exactly what you've been teaching my daughter, Mahou-san."

Hermione pursed her lips, thinking. "How much do you know about my abilities?"

"Quite a bit. My late wife was acquainted with Lovegood-san's wife. She was the one to introduce him to the Hokage, years ago. Yet, from what I remember, there was nothing she could do that would explain this change."

"If I may speak freely, Hiashi-sama, I do not think it's _what_ I've been teaching, rather than _how_. You say you think Hinata-chan weak. I believe you are wrong. She is not weak, quite the contrary, she is very strong. What she is not, however, is hard. From what I can appreciate, Hiashi-sama, you've the strength of the oak: unyielding and stern. She has the strength of the willow: flexible and durable. Both kinds of strength have their pros and cons, and must be handled very differently. If I may be so bold, you've treated Hinata like an oak, when you should've treated her like a willow."

Hiashi frowned, considering. It was true, he was a hard man. Always had been, and after the debacle that cost him his brother, even more so. His wife, Hiroki, had died soon after, during Hanabi's birth. It seems that in the intervening years, he had forgotten the quiet strength that had always run very deep in her. "I believe that might explain it, Mahou-san." No thank you, but it was implied. Somewhat. He was troubled still, though. The Elders of his clan would never see Hinata as anything other than weak. He still had trouble seeing it. It was one of the reasons he had been so hard on her. "I would still like to hear about her lessons, maybe while we await for her to wake?"

Hermione nodded and followed him back to Hinata's room. There, with the help of Kurenai, they recounted the lessons and successes. Hanabi's eyes were wide, unbelieving of the things her sister was learning. When Hermione made several coloured balls dance around the room to demonstrate, she was even more impressed.

"Hinata is very talented, Hiashi-sama. She is moving even faster than Kurenai through her lessons, and the ease she has when doing any spells related to water… it's unbelievable."

"Water, Mahou-san?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. In her first session we discovered that her chakra is, already, heavily aligned with water. What was it she said, Kurenai?"

"Like rushing water. Waterfalls and rapids. Whirlpools."

"Yes, that. We were both extremely surprised by her strong affinity, especially at her age."

Hiashi looked troubled. "Hmm. That is indeed a surprise." After that, he said nothing else and was content with holding Hinata's hand until a nurse came in to check on her. Hermione left soon after that.

She made her way to the Hokage tower, silent, thinking about the conversation she had had with Hinata's father. From what she knew of him, which wasn't much, just Kurenai complaining about the man ignoring Hinata in favour of her younger sister, he had been extremely out of character. Still, his daughter had almost died, so maybe that had something to do with it.

She frowned. She really didn't want to think about the kind of man who would need to see his daughter almost die to even begin to consider her worth something. That was just… wrong. She was so consumed in her thoughts that it came as a total surprise when she felt herself hit the ground.

She looked up to see Kakashi peering down at her intently. "I was just coming to find you," she said, pulling herself up with the hand he offered her.

"Likewise."

"Did you find anything?"

"Hmm." Hermione raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to elaborate. That could mean anything. "Not here. Come." He tucked the arm he still held in his and led the way to what she soon recognized to be his own apartment. Normally, she would've balked at being led around like that, not to mention the contact, but she could see his carefully controlled expression, the way his muscles were taut with tension. So she let it go. For now.

Once they were inside, she watched silently as he activate a series of seals by his door, making the walls of his apartment flash white before they settled back into normalcy.

Wary, she peered intently at him. "What was that?"

"Maa, relax Hermione, that was a privacy seal. No one can hear what we're saying now, but wel'll hear if anyone approaches. Just a precaution. The Hokage agreed with my findings and asked me to keep this quiet. I managed to convince him that since you had been with me while the attack took place you had nothing to do with it."

"He suspected _me_?"

He gestured her towards one of the only two chairs in his apartment and settled on the other. "No. Not you exactly. But what I found in the training grounds points towards someone from Konoha as the perpetrator, either that or a sleeper agent. It also points towards someone with shinobi training, so you were off the hook in any case. Given that, he agreed to let you know what we found, in case you come across something that might point to the culprit."

"Someone from Konoha?"

"Yes. The training ground where Hinata was found faces the Hokage mountain. If Hinata had been targeted personally by an enemy nation she would not have been left there to die, or her eyes, at the very least, would have been stolen. This points more towards either a crime of opportunity or a warning against the Hyuuga. Had it been an enemy shinobi they would've had to cross the entire village or skirt around many training grounds, many of which were occupied, to get there. If it had been a warning against the Hyuuga, there are many other members of the Clan who would've been easier to target. Civilians or Hanabi, for one. Targeting Hinata makes no sense. If it had been another Hyuuga with a grudge against the main family they would've killed her and the use of the Juuken would've been more evident. There was none of that."

"So either a sleeper agent or a crime of opportunity. But that doesn't discount the fact that Hinata could've been the target anyways. If someone had a grudge against her personally and saw her alone…"

"True. In any case, the Hokage will be launching a very discreet internal investigation about this attack. Hopefully once Hinata wakes up she'll be able to point us in the right direction." She nodded, knowing that the chances of that were extremely slim. Whoever had attacked her would not have left her alive if she had been able to identify them.

"Also, about our… side project," he said, pointing at his covered eye. "We'll have to postpone that until this matter is resolved or I get authorization from the Hokage. We don't know if removing the curse will have any effect on my abilities, either as a sensei or as a shinobi, so I'll need to wait until something can be arranged. At the moment, though, I have to stay close to my team in case this was not an isolated incident. It will probably have to wait a while."

She nodded. "Alright. I can use the time to see if I can find something for Sasuke. Also, Harry, a friend of mine, is supposed to be visiting soon and he is an expert in curses among other things, so I could use his help." He was about to answer when they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Taking a kunai from his pouch her motioned her to get out of sight from the door and carefully peered through the peephole. Putting the kunai away, he deactivated his security seals and opened the door. He traded a few words with whoever was on the other side before turning back towards her. "I'm needed in the tower. Cat-san will escort you home. If you need to get anything from the market before you go home she will accompany you." Seeing she was about to protest he went on. "The Hokage has arranged for you to have an ANBU escort for the next few days. All assets are being protected." Sensing he wasn't getting through, he sighed. "Please?"

"Fine." She turned to the masked kunoichi waiting patiently by the door. "Consider this me making a protest." The ANBU nodded and Hermione could swear she could _feel_ the smirk behind the mask. Damn shinobi. "And what do you mean by asset?"

Kakashi looked at her strangely. "You provide the Hospital and the T&I Division potions that are unavailable to any of the other nations, how could you _not_ be an asset to the village?"

Not even wondering how he knew what he did, he had proved to be beyond sneaky in some things, Hermione nodded. She was almost out the door when he spoke again "One more thing…"

"Yes?"

"Would you take my team tomorrow morning to visit Hinata? I'll probably be late," as always. "And I'm sure she would appreciate it." Or appreciate Naruto being there, at the very least.

"I'll pick them up at their training ground at 7."

"Thanks. And Hermione..." he hesitated, but continued when she turned around once more. "Please be careful."

She nodded in response and left, ANBU Cat at her heels. He looked out the window until he saw her leave the building and watched as Cat took to the rooftops, shadowing her.

He made his way towards his bedroom and moved his futon out of the way. Lifting a few of the floorboards he took a small case. He hadn't worn this uniform in more than a year, now. Lifting the mask out of the case he put it to the side. He quickly changed his clothes for the dull black of the ANBU, the tanto strapped to his back.

The last thing to go on was the mask. He turned to the mirror and stared at an image he had never thought he'd see again.

Wolf, ANBU Captain, stared back at him.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Another chapter! Like I said, a bit of a filler, and not too happy with it but... meh. Most of you know who the culprit is, it was rather obvious *to us* To them, not so much, at least not until Hinata wakes up, and maybe not even then. Next chapter will clarify that a little bit. There are... darker powers at work here, too. See if you guys can guess what from that little hint!

We hit the 100 review mark! I am so happy :) Reviewer nr. 100 (Shannyrox101) has decided she wants the updates to keep coming and more Kakashi/Hermione scenes, so that's what you all get! xD

That's all for now, I think xD

Keep those reviews coming, see if we can't hit 125 before next chapter is up!

Love you all! Cheers,

C.

PS: Taking recommendations on what to read! Looking for Fuuinjutsu!Naruto, TimeTravel!Kakashi, TimeTravel!Hermione, TimeTravel!Harry, or just plain good stuff.


	8. Broken Hearts and Other Happenings

_Another chapter, woohoo! I had the most awful writer's block writing this, so it has me a bit nervous wondering what you lovelies think of the final result._

_Also... aaawww! We didn't reach the 125 review goal... and I had an awesome surprise prepared if we did! Oh wells... new target this week, see end note for details._

_This chapter kind of jumps all over the place, but meh... that's just how I write. Hope you lovelies like it :D_

_Disclaimer: Do not own, I just play in (combined) sandbox._

* * *

**Chapter 8: Broken Hearts and Other Happenings**

_Earlier…_

He was in a panic. He would be caught, tried and executed. He had attacked another leaf nin—however undeserving of the title she may be. He rushed back to his house, only a few streets away from the training ground where he had encountered the girl. He ignored the shouts of whoever it was that he had knocked down in his haste and made a beeline for his house.

He had little time. The girl would, hopefully, not be discovered immediately and he would be able to… what? Escape? Was he strong enough, fast enough, to escape when the village came hunting? He didn't know, but he had to try. He could not be caught. He would not be caught.

Capture meant failure and _he would not, could not, fail._ He dug out his pack from where he had stowed it after his last mission, throwing his clothes and gear haphazardly into it. He needed to get out!

Packing—what he could gather in such short notice—done, he donned his pack and prepared to leave. The window would serve, he didn't want to be seen by anyone in the streets. The approaching night would provide cover. No one had to know he had left the village until the morning. He opened the window and prepared to go out when something flew past his face and embedded itself in the window frame in front of his nose. Startled, he jumped back, taking out a kunai and preparing himself for another attack. He relaxed when after a minute none came.

Cautious he walked to the window again, eyes darting from side to side searching. They finally settled into the kunai that had nearly taken his eye out. Frowning, for there was something attacked to it, he slowly moved forward. It wasn't an exploding tag, they had much shorter fuse times, so it would have already gone off.

Slowly, and trying to keep out of direct line of sight of the window, he tugged the paper free from the kunai. He walked back towards the door—away from the window—and turned on the lights.

It was a note. Carefully, he unfolded and started reading. By the time he got to the end of it, he was smiling, relieved.

He let the pack drop and went to the kitchen where he turned on one of the burners. Still grinning, he watched the small flame consume what was now supposedly the only evidence of his involvement.

Whoever had sent the note had assured him it would be. He was safe—this time.

Everything would be alright.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

In the levels beneath the Hokage Tower, the recalled ANBU gathered in silence. The atmosphere was tense, it had been a long time since some of them had been called for duty. All of them had moved on to other things, but all knew that one never really _left_ ANBU. It stayed with you, same as the tattoo that you got when joining.

Many took the chance to reconnect with old teammates, people that outside of ANBU they had had little reason for looking up. Their silent conversations, ANBU sign language was as easy for them as talking, were quick, but no less informative. The only thing no one seemed to know was why exactly they had been called.

The doors opened and a figure that none of them had thought to see in this gathering walked in. Despite all of them being retired from ANBU, _him_ being recalled had never even crossed their minds. Murmurs of "Taichou" and "Wolf-taichou" abounded as he made his way to stand on one side of the door. Soon, the current leader of the ANBU, the only one with a plain black mask, entered and stood on the other side of the door.

The Hokage followed after, and the fifteen or so shinobi gathered went down on one knee. The door closed and silence reigned.

"You must be wondering," the Hokage started, his voice grave. "Why you have been called here today. There has been an attack on one of our own, an attack that has indications of having been perpetrated by one of our own as well." In any other gathering, this would have started murmuring and talks, but they were ANBU, so they remained silent. "At this moment, the standard ANBU operatives are conducting their investigation, but the preliminary work conducted by Captain Wolf on his own time tells us that we do not have much to go on, other than the fact that no special skills or jutsu, other than a basic fire one, were used. This severely limits our chances of finding the culprit." The ANBU present agreed. Whoever had conducted the attack had obviously restrained themselves to low level and common attacks in an effort not be identified by signature jutsus.

"I have called you here in hopes that if in the course of your daily work you come upon any indication of the culprit, you bring it over to the attention of the ANBU in charge of the investigation. You are all ANBU, even if you are no longer drafted in active service of it, so keep your eyes and ears open. I will leave Captain Wolf to tell of his findings. Good evening." This time, after the Hokage and the ANBU leader left, the room exploded in murmurs. Even so, it only took Wolf a minute to regain their attention.

"The victim of the attack was Hyuuga Hinata. There is no indication of whether this she was targeted specifically and the fact that she was left alive would suggest she will not be able to identify her assailant. There are few burn patterns at the site, so it is impossible to discern exactly which jutsu was used, but her injuries seem to indicate it was a weak jutsu. Whether this points to the fact that the assailant wanted Hinata to survive or something else is unclear." He sighed, there really wasn't much to go on. There was something about the whole thing that just seemed _wrong_ to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it, so he decided to let it go for now and think on it later. He continued giving his findings to the assembled forces and when he was done he dismissed them with a simple "That is all."

Tired and troubled, he made his way back to his home, put his uniform away and collapsed into a tired heap on his bed.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

It was seven in the morning and Hermione arrived, ANBU escort tailing her discreetly, to the training grounds she knew the team used for practices. Sasuke was reclining against a tree, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. Naruto was sitting down, fiddling with some grass in front of him and Sakura was between the two, shooting furtive glances at Sasuke once in a while. Before she could make her presence known, she saw Naruto stand up and walk towards Sakura.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, wanna go grab some breakfast with me? We can make it a da—" Before he could finish, he was interrupted, quite rudely, by the girl.

"Naruto-baka! We have to wait for sensei!" she shouted while punching him on the head. Hermione frowned, in all the times she had invited the team over, Sakura had never behaved like this. She was even more shocked when the pinkette turned towards Sasuke and asked pretty much the same thing with different words. He refused to even acknowledge her question.

Deciding to ignore what she had seen for now and talk to Sakura later, she made her presence known. "Hello there, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke."

Naruto and Sakura turned to her immediately. "Mahou-sama!" Sasuke just went "Hn" but stood up from the tree he was reclining in and opened his eyes.

"Kakashi asked me to collect you guys today. He'll be late and wanted me to take you to the hospital to see Hinata-chan. He didn't say at what time he'd be free, so I guess after that we'll come back here and I'll stay with you until he shows up."

Sakura walked up to her, brushing some grass from her clothes. "What's wrong with Hinata-chan, Mahou-sama?"

"She was attacked yesterday evening, Sakura."

Naruto was on her in a second. "WHAT? Is she okay? What happened? Do they know who did it? Did they catch him?"

"Slow down, Naruto. She's fine. She didn't wake up yesterday while I was there, but the doctors assured me she'd be awake by today and that she would make a full recovery." Well, the doctors had mentioned scarring, and while she had some things that would attenuate scars, nothing that she knew could erase them completely. She could only hope they weren't too terrible. Still, she had to put on a brave face and try to cheer the genin up. "As for who did it and whether or not they were caught, I'm not privy to that information." _Yet._ She certainly would be asking Kakashi next time she saw him.

They started walking in silence. "Um, Mahou-sama?" Sakura shyly ventured halfway through their walk there. "Should we get some flowers for her?"

Hermione smiled. This was more the Sakura that had come to dinner at her house. "That's an excellent idea, Sakura-chan. Do you know of any place nearby?"

She pursed her lips, as if not liking the idea after all, but relented and answered. "The Yamanaka Flower Shop is near the Hospital."

"We'll swing by there, then, before we go visit Hinata-chan." The rest of the walk was silent, except for Naruto telling them once in a while to hurry up. Sasuke trailed behind, frowning. Whenever she looked at him, he would just grunt and look down. She noticed the dark circles around his eyes, but said nothing. Kakashi had explained about his family and she thought that his restlessness probably had something to do with that. Maybe it was nearing the anniversary of their deaths? She couldn't ask him, especially knowing about the curse. It would only send him into a deeper depression.

After they purchased the flowers from whom Sakura identified as Ino Yamanaka's mother they entered the hospital where Hermione wasted no time in leading them to Hinata's room. The medic exiting the room told them that she was awake but needed rest. As such, only two visitors were allowed at a time. Hermione went in first with Sakura, leaving Naruto outside with Sasuke who had adamantly declared that he would _not_ go in. He was neither a friend nor a teammate to Hinata and would be all kinds of awkward. Shrugging, Hermione let him be. She knew he was something of a lone wolf and she wouldn't be making a scene at the hospital about it.

A few minutes later, Sakura, her eyes red and a little swollen came out and told Naruto to go in. The last thing Naruto heard before he closed the door were the sobs Sakura had obviously held in while visiting the pearl-eyed girl.

Pausing just inside the room, he noticed the flowers they had brought her were on a standard hospital vase on her bedside. Mahou-san was sitting in the only chair in the room by the head of the bed, lightly brushing Hinata's hair back—what was left of it. He clenched his fists in anger—that someone had _dared_ do something like that to Hinata-chan (and when had he started thinking of her as –chan, anyways?), who was nice and kind and gentle—before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath and calming himself. Anger had no place in a hospital room.

He approached the bed slowly, taking in her bandaged arms and face. "Hey, Hinata-chan."

The girl tiredly opened her eyes. "Na—Naruto-kun." Had she been able to blush, she would have, as it was, she only managed a really light rosy blush on her cheeks.

"Hey. I—we heard about what happened and Mahou-sama brought us here to see you and wish you well. So, um—get well soon!" Hermione was biting her lip to keep from laughing. That was just so _sweet_ and awkward—just like Naruto.

"Ha—hai, Naruto-kun. Thank you." Hermione let them chat for a few minutes, mainly about their teams and their senseis. Hinata told him a little of what she'd been learning from her and all was going very well until Naruto asked what she had warned them not to ask.

"Do you know who did this to you, Hinata-chan?"

"Naruto!" She snapped, turning to him.

He jumped, having forgotten she was in the room with them. "Ano, I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. Mahou-sama warned us not to ask you about it," he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Then, he turned serious. "It doesn't matter who did this, Hinata-chan, when I find out who it was, I'll beat them to the ground for you! Whoever they are! That's my promise, and I don't break my promises! It's my _nindo_!" His "good-guy" posture was eerily reminiscent of Gai and for a moment Hermione was tempted to check whether he was wearing green tights instead of an orange jumpsuit.

"Th—thank you, Naruto-kun." He was about to respond when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Opening it, Hermione saw Kurenai and the two boys who had been with her in the mission to Wave, Hinata's teammates.

"Say good-bye to Hinata-chan, Naruto." While he did that, Hermione whispered something to the red-eyed jounin, making her smile slightly. With a nod and a parting wave, they left to go back to Team 7's training ground.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

Back at the training ground Hermione stayed with them until Kakashi showed up, as promised. When she saw they weren't doing anything while they waited, she proposed a training game. She would conjure several balls of light that, when they struck the genin, would leave a glowing spot on their clothes. Dodging practice, she called it. The lights varied in speed and intensity, making some more difficult to dodge than others. When Kakashi got there he found his genin, all three of them, covered in glowing patches in different colours. Hermione had made it so that the closest a hit was to a vital area, the brighter the colour it would glow. He was somewhat disappointed, though, when after Hermione explained the little exercise, he saw that all genin had hits in vital areas.

Shaking his head, he thanked her for her help and turned to his genin. It was obvious that they needed more practice to avoid being hit—and that they needed to learn not to underestimate their opponent. They had seen Hermione—after what she had done in Wave!—as a civilian and had obviously not tried hard enough until _after_ they'd been hit. When Hermione went to remove the glowing patches he stopped her, telling her that they would walk around like that all day—a lesson, he said.

Laughing at their dismayed faces, she nodded and stowed her wand. She watched as Kakashi sent his team to do laps before he turned to her.

"Thank you," he said, much more softly then he had addressed the genin. "For taking them to see Hinata and helping them while I wasn't here."

She smiled widely. "Of course. It was fun, even if they won't see it that way." She couldn't see it, but she could tell he was smiling at her in response. Once again, she supressed the itch she sometimes got to remove his mask and find out exactly what laid beneath the navy cloth. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she turned serious. "Have you found out anything about who attacked Hinata-chan?"

He sighed, running a hand through his silver locks. "No. There's little evidence. Almost as if someone erased it. Either the same person who attacked, or an accomplice. Or it was someone experienced enough not to leave any in the first place. We just don't know."

She frowned. That wasn't good. "I see. Well, if you find anything…"

"If the Hokage permits it, I'll let you know."

Nodding, she smiled at him in thanks. "I must get going now, though. I have potions to finish. See you soon?" Why she said that, she didn't know, but she found that she really did want to see him again soon.

His mask twitched and his eye curved the way it usually did when he smiled—or when she presumed he was smiling. "Of course." After a moment, though he put his hand on her arm, turning her back before she had taken a full step. "I was wondering, though, if you might want to do this again, someday soon." Had he been anyone else, and thus not as composed, he might have stuttered over what he said next. As it was, it just came out smoothly. "Help my genin in training, I mean."

"I'd like that." And with that, she left.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"Ne, did you see that, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn," was her only response from him. She sighed, dejected. Sometimes she didn't know why she tried so hard. As soon as she thought that, an image of Ino, blonde and thin and all smiles came to her. She had her arm wrapped around Sasuke-kun—_her Sasuke-kun!_—and was laughing. Laughing! At her!

Yup. That's why she tried so hard. She could not lose to Ino-pig. _She could not._ She was distracted from her thought when she heard her other teammate speak up.

"See what, Sakura-chan?" Naruto was looking at her, confused.

She sighed before explaining to her dull teammate. At least he listened to her. "Kakashi-sensei and Mahou-sama. They were all close and flirting." Well, he had his hand on her arm, and they did look to be standing pretty close from where she was… "Wouldn't that be neat?"

"Wouldn't what be neat?" he asked, feeling a little nauseated. She couldn't be implying what he thought she was implying, could she?

"If they got together, baka! It would be so romantic! The elite jounin getting together with the mysterious witch from the Outer Lands… Then they could get married and both be our sensei and train us and we could be the strongest genin! Well, Sasuke-kun and me. You'll still be the dead last."

"Hn."

"Tha—that won't happen!"

"What won't happen, baka? Sasuke is already the strongest there is, and I'm _miles_ ahead of you."

By now, all three had stopped running and were glaring at each other forcefully. "Not true! I'm stronger than the teme!"

"As if, dobe." "No, you're not!" Rang the two distinct voices at the same time.

"Yes, I am! And Kakashi-sensei was not flirting with Mahou-sama! He can't have!"

"And why not, baka?" They were both yelling at each other. Sasuke was to the side, unwilling to engage in such… pettiness.

"Just 'cause" he mumbled, looking at the ground. His teammates wouldn't know, but he was working hard to keep the tears in. And why was he crying about this? But he knew he couldn't let his teammates see him like that. Sasuke would think him weak and Sakura would never let him live it down.

Sakura, though, wasn't satisfied with his answer. "Because what?"

"Cause he doesn't deserve her! He's—he's lazy, and a pervert!"

"BAKA! Don't say that about sensei! Apologize!" Never mind that said sensei wasn't there. He was nearby, of course. Had been since the fight started, but he was hidden and the genin had no chance of detecting him. And he wasn't lazy, or a pervert. Why, he didn't even have his _Icha Icha_ out! Well, really he was both. But he had been making an effort since coming back from Wave.

He sighed. He had been afraid of this. It was an expected reaction. Naruto had never had many friends and no one to teach him the intricacies of social life. The only people who he had considered friends, would be his academy sensei—Ikaku? No, that wasn't it. Iruka, yeah, that was it—and the Hokage. Both poor examples as they weren't really his _friends_, more like an older brother and grandfather. But Naruto wouldn't know. And now Naruto saw him, Kakashi, being friends—and friends only (_right?_)—with her and he would think he was taking her away, not knowing, not realizing that for Hermione he, Naruto, wasn't a friend. He was more like a younger brother, or a cousin.

These thought and many more crossed his genius mind in seconds while the genin continued to scream at each other. Maybe he should stop them. At first he had let them go at it, thinking it would be good that they let off some steam, but it appeared things were taking a nose dive quite quickly. Just before he made his move to appear to separate them, he saw Sakura raise her fist. He stopped. Things were going as usual. Sakura would hit Naruto and he would whine a bit and then smile and everything would go back to normal.

Right?

Not quite. Almost in slow motion, he saw Sakura's fist descending to strike her blonde teammate and—he almost fell out of his branch when he saw this—Naruto _dodged_.

Sakura, overbalanced by the force of her strike, went careening to the ground, falling face first into a puddle of mud. He saw Naruto approach her, all anger forgotten, worriedly trying to help her up. Her hand as she slapped his away.

And Kakashi saw the moment when Naruto's little pre-teen heart _broke_. The look of anguish as he tried to apologize to Sakura and help her up and she rejected him _again_. It was apparently too much for the blond haired genin, that and whatever the pink haired girl said to him through clenched teeth, for he turned around and ran out of the training grounds.

He wanted to go after his sensei's son, but knew his input right now would be neither wanted nor appreciated. He turned back to his two remaining students only to see the Uchiha grunt something at his teammate, who was still on the ground, and turn around to leave too.

What was it today that had his genin so high strung? Maybe it had been the visit to the hospital? Could a dose of the reality of their own mortality leave them like this? Hermione hadn't mentioned anything about them taking it bad, quite the opposite. Speaking of Hermione… he wished she was here. Or Kurenai. Hell, even Anko. Sakura had yet to stand up from where she had fallen and… were those _tears_?

_Kami-sama_, he thought. _Save me from crying teenage girls._

Kami-sama failed to deliver, though, so he took it upon himself to do something. A quick jump had him kneeling beside the crying girl (_and why was she crying anyways?_) who didn't notice him at first. When she did, though, she started and nearly fell backwards. As it was, her back was pretty much the only part of her that was mud free.

"Sakura…" He tried to say something—anything—but he had never been good with crying girls. Or just girls, for that matter. When he was her age, he had been on the fast track to become chuunin, in the middle of a war. His teammate, Rin, had had a crush on him, but he had ignored her. _Much how Sasuke ignores Sakura now_, he mused. And after Obito… well, he just couldn't bring himself to see Rin differently. She'd always be the girl Obito had loved. Thus, he had kept himself away and by the time he had grown up and might have started seeing things differently…

Better not to think about that. Not with the Curse being what it was.

"Sakura…" he tried again. "What happened?"

"Sen—sensei!" she wailed in response. He gingerly put a hand on her hair, trying, unsuccessfully, to calm her down a bit. Yet he was unaccustomed to any kind of physical contact and his pats were stiff and awkward. She didn't seem to notice, though, for which he was grateful.

He sighed and looked at the heavens, once again praying for help. They remained unresponsive. "Do, um, do you want to talk about it?" He cringed. He hoped not.

She nodded, though, and started talking. "It's just—_sob_—and Naruto—_hiccup_—and then Sasuke-kun!" Or tried to. He surmised that what she had said had actually been longer, but that was all he had been able to discern from between sobs.

"There, there…"

"I—I just don't get it sensei! Why is he so _cold_?" He? Ah… Sasuke.

"Sasuke?"

"Ye—yeah."

"Well, I can't tell you much, Sakura-chan, it's his story to tell. And don't go asking or he'll be mad. He'll tell you when he feels ready." _If ever._ "But in short, something bad… really bad happened to Sasuke some years ago. And he's still angry about it. Very, very angry. It's the reason he wants to get stronger." _Not stronger… powerful._ "But what happened was so bad and he is so angry that he can't really… relate to people the same way most do. He has this goal he has his eyes on, and he won't let anything come between him and it. Sadly, that means you and Naruto, too. He's so angry that he doesn't think you two can help him. That he doesn't _want_ any help."

"Bu—but _why?_"

"Because he thinks accepting help means he is weak, when it is the opposite. Being strong—truly strong—means recognizing your own weaknesses, those areas in which you're not so good, and doing something to overcome them. Even if it means asking for help or recruiting people who have those skills you don't. It's why Konoha places such importance on teamwork, Sakura-chan. So that your teammates can be strong where you're not."

"So that's why…"

"That's why what, Sakura-chan?"

"Why he doesn't like me…" she sighed, dejected. "I'm weak. A burden."

"No, Sakura. You are not weak. You just haven't found what makes you strong yet. I found it, and Naruto found it. Hermione—Mahou-san—found it too."

"And what is it, sensei?"

"What makes us strong? That's something you have to discover for yourself, Sakura. I can't always give you the answers. The moment you put on that headband," he said, pointing at her hitai-ate. "You became an adult. I am not here to lead you by the hand, like a child, but rather guide you, nudge you in the right direction."

"So I won't become strong until I find out what it is? I'll just be useless?"

"Sakura, many people never find their _true_ reason, but they still become powerful. The ones that do, though, they become _strong_. Those people, those are the ones that shine. There are many reasons to be strong, Sakura, you just have to find yours." He stood up, offering his hand to the fallen girl. "And that doesn't mean that between now and then you can't try to better yourself.

"What do you mean, sensei?"

"That means, Sakura, that even if you still haven't found a reason to become strong, you can still better yourself. You can train, you can practice. You can learn new things. Along the way, you'll find what you're looking for."

"But Sasu—"

He interrupted her. "Sasuke has nothing to do with this, Sakura. Why did you want to become a kunoichi?" He knew she had to have had a valid, or somewhat valid, reason. Psychological screening was mandatory in the academy, to route out those who just weren't cut out for the life of a ninja and those that really didn't want to be there. No child was enrolled in the academy against their will, whatever their parents wanted or said. So she must have had a reason.

"Why?"

"Yes, why. Why did you apply yourself in the academy and choose this life?"

"Well, I wanted Sasuke-kun to…" she started, but she trailed off. He smiled in relief. She had not, after all, met Sasuke until _after_ she had started in the academy. He knew her reason, had read it in her file. The event that had led her to proclaim _I will be a strong kunoichi!_ It seemed she remembered now.

"Do you know why, now?"

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei." She took a deep breath, probably not sure if she wanted to share. "We were—"

"You don't have to tell me, Sakura-chan," he said, patting her mud-caked hair again. "As long as _you_ know it."

"Hai, sensei."

"So, are you ready?"

"Ready, sensei?"

"Mhmm… to start becoming strong."

She rubbed the last of her tears off her face—spreading more mud all over it at the same time. "Hai!"

"Good. Go through your stances to warm up. After that, you'll do some tree-walking. You should do that every day before bed, as much as you can, to empty out your reserves. No passing out, though, be careful. This will help you build up your reserves slowly and improve you control. After that, we'll start working on your forms and see if we can't close some of your openings."

"Hai."

It was a long day for Sakura, and very productive. While she was exhausted by the end of it, she could certainly say she had started on the path to be better. And maybe, to become strong.

* * *

AN: Uf! That was long-ish. That last part gave me so much trouble! I hope the reactions were not too OOC and the explanations pan out.

New review goal for before next update: 140 reviews! Totally doable, right? You lovelies that don;t review just have to man up and leave me a comment! Or not, if you don;t want to xD

Also... **Poll!** (First ever... I'm kind of excited =P )

Should the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, survive the Chuunin Exams?

Yes? No? Don't care?

Let me know!

**ONLY votes in the actual poll in my profile will be counted, so be sure to vote...**

Just so you know this will not impact the actual plot all that much, just thought I'd throw it out there...

Anyways... hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Cheers,

C.


	9. The Mind of Uchiha Sasuke

Wow! 140 reviews! I thought it'd take longer to get to the goal, after all it was only a few less than last time's goal. ANYWAYS! As promised, a GIFT! This is an extra chapter, a look at the story in broad strokes from the point of view of one... Uchiha Sasuke! This was the same surprise I had prepared for last time so it's only up to... well, you'll see. Hopefully this will explain a bit of how the changes in canon have affected our resident little psycho. Not that he is a psycho _per se_ but he is definitively disturbed.

So enjoy and let me know what you think! This is an extra chapter and as such is quite short. Just a peek into Sasuke's mind.

EDIT: Since there's been some confusion... this is an OMAKE :D

* * *

**The Mind of Uchiha Sasuke – Witch Hidden in the Leaf: Extra Chapter**

When Sasuke woke up after being knocked out by Zabuza's accomplice he was attacked by a pink blur that held tightly on to him. _Now,_ he thought, _if only she'd use that speed and strength when fighting instead of when pursuing me, she could become mildly tolerable._ He looked up to see Mahou-san, not that she was worthy of that respect from him, but her name was unpronounceable and he frankly had no idea what else to call her, looking over at him and frowning. Che. He didn't care what she thought.

He frowned, though, when she made her way to Zabuza's accomplice. He _knew_ he hadn't been able to knock him out, so who had done it? He didn't even consider Sakura, the thought was laughable in itself. Naruto? Nah. The dobe was too weak. If he, Uchiha Sasuke, hadn't been able to defeat him, the dead last certainly could not have. Not team 8, either. While better than the dobe, they too, were weaker than him. Also, not their jounin, Kurenai, she was a woman, a _genjutsu_ user. She was weak, too.

Probably Kakashi, then. Sasuke smirked. Yes, that made sense. While Sasuke was well aware that Kakashi-sensei had held back during the bells test, he hadn't used his Sharingan, after all, he _had_ gone toe to toe with him at first.

It didn't even occur to him that Kakashi had been holding back when he had gone "toe-to-toe" with him. He was far too proud for that. Yes. Kakashi-sensei had taken over the fight after Sasuke had weakened the boy and defeated him.

Boy did it come as a surprise to find out it had been the dobe who had finished him off. He refused to believe it at first. It was… impossible. Unconceivable. But they all said the same thing. So he came to the only conclusion he could. He, Sasuke, had weakened the boy enough and the dobe had gotten in a lucky hit that had knocked the boy out. Yes, that had to be it. After Sasuke fell, the dobe had gotten in a lucky hit and had knocked the other boy out.

Of course, this new fantasy of his didn't last long either. Team 8 praised, actually _praised_, Naruto on his fight. How fast he had moved and how hard he had hit. There was something else there, something they weren't mentioning, but he didn't care to find out. He was furious! The dobe, _the_ _dobe_, had fought toe to toe with the other boy? The dobe had destroyed those mirrors that had withstood even his own power? His family's prized Fire Jutsu?

Preposterous.

And yet it seemed he had. Team 8 had been very clear on that when he had asked later, even if they were rather tight-lipped about the exact details. Did the dobe know a technique he didn't? Was that it? Had he used a powerful technique and they didn't want him to find out about it? He considered asking Sakura, but the girl would probably become a blabbering mess if he spoke directly to her. The Hyuuga was out, because, unlike the dobe, _he_ knew she had the hots for the dead last. She would be all praise and blushes and _stammers_. He couldn't deal with stammers. Bug-boy and Dog-boy were out, too. One, a weakling almost worse than Naruto, the other, even more stoic than Sasuke himself, not that he'd ever admit it out loud. He'd probably look at him from behind his glasses. Considering. _Judging._ Just like his father, those times that he had had to address the council. Judging and finding him lacking.

There was no lost love between the Aburame Clan and Uchiha Sasuke. Unlike most of the others, the Aburame had never forgotten how the Uchiha had been before they were massacred. Not that they deserved it, of course not, but they had been stuck-up and arrogant almost to the last man. And they used logic to judge, not emotions. The Aburame believed in reciprocity. In everything they did, they sought out an equivalent exchange. You were only as strong as you trained to be. Training was only as effective as the effort you put on it. Being born into one clan or the other… not relevant. Which is why Shibi, the Clan Head, had always rubbed Sasuke the wrong way. Sasuke had always felt _entitled._ He was an Uchiha. More than that, he was the _last_ Uchiha. He _deserved_ the best. He deserved respect. Trainers. An apartment on his own. Independence. The right to refuse counselling. The use of a training ground. He deserved not to be in a team with a loser and a fangirl. All but the last had the Uchiha received from the council at one point or the other. And Aburame Shibi had always voted _no_.

Not that Sasuke knew his motivations or would ever understand his reasons. All he knew was that Aburame Shibi didn't respect him and, obviously, neither would his son. So no questions for the Aburame, either.

That left the senseis, who he didn't feel like approaching, or Mahou-_san_. But then again… when had she gotten here, or for that matter, how? Was this more of her strange powers, like that conjuring thing she did?

Around him, the conversation had gone on while he thought on this and many other dark and darker things. He was brought out of his funk with the dobe begging the strange woman to teach him. Teach him what, he didn't know, but it seemed a useful skill to have. Mahou-san didn't answer, though, he just said they'd talk it over back in Konoha, which Sasuke's sharp mind knew instantly to be a _no_. Sensei had already said no once before, why would this time be any different?

A feeling of rage rose up in his chest when he thought of that. Sensei was stunting his growth, forcing him to train with the two weaklings. He didn't teach him new techniques or anything really. All he had taught them so far was that stupid tree-climbing exercise. A neat parlour trick, sure, but it wouldn't help him defeat _that man_. No extra training for him, _him_, who needed the power to defeat _that man_ and avenge his Clan. No jutsus, no nothing.

Was that how the dobe had gotten stronger? Had Kakashi been training him in secret?

Once again, the rage—and jealousy, not that he'd admit it—in him rose up like bile that burned his throat. It was the only possible solution. _He_ wasn't getting training because the _dead last_ was. Well, that wouldn't last. He would find out a way to _force_ Kakashi to train him. And that woman too. He had his Sharingan now, he would just spy on them both and copy their techniques if they didn't want to cough up.

And then he would be powerful enough to defeat _that man_ and nothing, and no one would stand in his way again.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

It had been a few of weeks since the mission in Wave and Sasuke's plans had yet to take off in any way or form. His request—read _demand_—for more training from Kakashi had been met with a resounding _no_. Well, not really. Kakashi did train the team more. Mainly physical exercises and chakra control, and it was rather heavy training, especially after, as he himself had put it, he had had "his eye opened". But he had wanted extra, _private_, training and Kakashi had denied him. He had not approached Mahou-san yet, because she was already studying his eyes. Much of the knowledge of the Sharingan had been lost to him that fateful night and, however much it grated him to rely on a _civilian_ of all people, the more he knew about it, the better off he'd be.

And there was that whole thing of blindness or death, too, but Sasuke, despite his sensei's worry, wasn't too troubled. The Uchiha would never be so weak as to die from using their Kekkei Genkai like that. Kakashi and Mahou-san had to be wrong.

In the meantime, he was getting more and more impatient. The training Kakashi put them through had manage to make it so both his eyes had two _tomoe_ in them already, but he hadn't had the chance to copy anything. Jounins always knew he was there and made him leave and when he didn't have an invitation he couldn't get past Mahou-san's fence. It was as if an invisible barrier prevented him.

He became even more incensed when he heard Kurenai-sensei and Mahou-san talking about teaching Hinata. The Hyuuga, of all people! That girl, even though she came from a strong clan, was a weakling! Stammering and following _Naruto_ around all day. Naruto of all people!

It was a disgrace and had he deigned himself to actually talk to such a pathetic example of a ninja, he'd have told her so. As it was, he just ignored her whenever their paths crossed.

Three weeks later, he couldn't contain himself, though. He had run into the Hyuuga after one of her lessons and the spineless girl was _smiling_. Happy. Obviously over all the new, powerful things she had learned. He couldn't take it. He had to wipe that smile off her face.

He'd challenge her to a fight, win and _make_ Mahou-san teach him instead. He'd prove he was more worthy of instruction than that pathetic excuse of a kunoichi.

He'd show his sensei. He'd show Mahou-san. He'd show them all.

* * *

AN: Of course all of you had already guessed who attacked Hinata-chan, and this confirms it. To those who were hoping it wasn't him, well... This isn't just because, it has a reason that will maybe become apparent later on.

Hope you all enjoyed!

Just so you lovelies know, I won;t have an extra chapter everytime I have a goal of reviews, I just don;t have that kind of time, but once in a while... We'll see how it goes and if there's other things I want to show from others' perspectives.

Cheers~!

C.


	10. Realizations and Troublesome Tests

Hi all! Hope you're all excited for another chapter! And we hit 150 reviews! Yay!

This is kind of rushed, and to be quite frank, I'm very unhappy with the final result. I blame my muse, she was distracted. (I also blame **_you!_** You know who you are, you distracted me!-j/k I promised I wouldn't blame you, but my muse certainly does!)

Hehe, secret, incomprehensible messages apart, this chapter moves things forward quite a bit. We're getting close to the part I _really _want to write about (*cough*soundinvasion*cough*). Only two more chapters, I think till then. WooHoo!

Anyways, **Poll** is still up (until next Saturday, then I'll close it) if you lovelies want to vote on Sarutobi's survival.

Disclaimer: Do not own either work, else Shika would be together with Sakura and Fred with Hermione! (OTP and all that xD)

* * *

**Chapter 10: Realizations & Troublesome Tests**

In the Hokage Tower, the Jounin senseis gathered in front of their leader. Most were talking but the moment the Hokage entered, silence fell over them.

"I believe we all know why you are here. We'll start with the jounin in charge of the rookie teams. Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma?"

Kakashi stepped forward. "Team 7, led by Hatake Kakashi: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura—I nominate them to take the Chuunin Exams at this time." Whispers broke out at this, but the Hokage quieted them with a single raised hand.

Asuma went next. "Team 10, led by Sarutobi Asuma: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji—I nominate them to take them Chuunin Exams at this time." Once again whispers broke out.

Kurenai was the last one to step forward. She spared Kakashi and Asuma one slightly guilty glance before speaking. "Due to severe injuries to one of my students, I feel my team will not be able to perform at their best. Team 8, led by Yuuhi Kurenai: Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba—I do _not_ nominate them to take the Chuunin Exams at this time." Both other jounin senseis looked at her in mild shock. They had talked weeks ago about this: they would all nominate their teams, hoping that since it hadn't been so long ago that they had been in the Academy together they would tend to work together and thus have a slight advantage over other teams. Hopefully this would give them some experience without endangering them as much. Now, without Kurenai's team there it would be slightly harder. That is, if they had actually bothered to work together. That would have been another test, that would tell their teachers about their development and whether or not they had really absorbed the lessons on teamwork. Of course, they hadn't bothered to readdress the issue after Hinata was hurt and they really should have. Still, the nominations were submitted and there was nothing they could do about it now.

The Hokage nodded, accepting the nominations. "Two out of three rookie teams. This will be interesting…" One by one, the rest of the jounin either nominated or declined to nominate their own teams. Once the last one finished the Hokage addressed them all one more time. "The Chuunin Exams will begin in exactly seven days. Information on the meeting place is in the applications. Dismissed."

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

It was almost a week later and Hermione was once again watching the team practice. She had helped in the beginning, once again with her coloured lights and was pleased to see that this time all three genin took her training seriously, allowing her to make the lights faster and more abundant. Kakashi was beside her. He had warmed up with his students, but opted out of the coloured lights. Now, the team was sparring against each other in a sort of mini free-for-all. Or rather, it was Sasuke vs. Naruto with Sakura sometimes talking a half step as if wanting to join but not having the courage to do so.

Kakashi's mouth twitched up beneath his mask. While Sakura wasn't outright joining the fray, just the fact that she was looking for openings was an improvement over her standing to the side and cheering Sasuke on. He doubted she would actually _attack_ but it was an improvement. He was distracted from his thoughts by Hermione asking something.

"Why isn't Sakura involved? I thought it was a free-for-all?"

"She's not really a taijutsu type. She's more suited for subtler techniques, like genjutsu."

Hermione frowned. "Well, but she needs to be able to fight in taijutsu too, right? She won't always be able to remain out of range and Sasuke and Naruto won't always be there, either."

"True," he sighed. "But it was only a couple days ago that I walked to her and hopefully managed to convince her to take her training seriously. It had me really worried, the way she wasn't taking this seriously. Even after Wave…" He sighed again. "Hopefully it's fixed now. In any case, her attitude these last few days is an improvement."

She looked at him, incredulous. "_This_ is an improvement?"

"Mhmm. Before, she'd just stay on the side and… and _cheer_." He shuddered.

"Sasuke?" He nodded in response. "I saw her asking him out the other morning. He didn't seem particularly interested."

"He isn't."

"Ah."

He cocked his head to the side. Hermione had been… different today. Distant. "Everything OK?"

"Yeah."

"Sure?"

"I—I guess. No, not really." She sighed. They seemed to be doing that a lot that day. "I'm just worried. I sent a letter to my friends back in England about two months back."

"They haven't answered?"

She shook her head. "I don't know what could be keeping them! At first I thought it was just the end of the school year—they both work for the school, you see. Now… now I don't know what to think. A week ago I sent a message to the rift wardens—the people who guard the rift between here and there asking if they had received anything or if there had been any delays. They answered back yesterday. According to them they haven't received anything from England in weeks. I just—I don't know what could've happened!"

He ran his hand through his silver hair. He finally asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head again. "It's OK. I'll think of something. I should go now, I have things to do back at home." She hesitated for a bit before continuing. "Do you want me to come back tomorrow?" She said in a rush, but her voice sounded decidedly hopeful.

He shook his head though, and didn't miss the way her shoulders dropped slightly. "We won't be training tomorrow, but… give me a minute." He said, his voice pitched low so the genin wouldn't hear him. He was about to say something else when he stopped himself. Instead, he addressed his genin. "Naruto! Sasuke! Sakura! That's it for today!"

They immediately came to a stop. "Sensei?"

His eye curved into a smile. "This is sudden, but... I've nominated you guys for the Chuunin Selection Exams." He took three papers from his pouch, handing them to the teens. "These are your applications. This is just a nomination. If you want to participate, turn in these signed forms tomorrow at room 301 in the Academy Building at 9am. That is all. Dismissed." He waited until they were out of sight before turning back to Hermione. "We won't be doing much tomorrow, except waiting for the results to come in, but if you want…" Here, he hesitated. Unconsciously rubbing the back of his head he went on. "If you want you could keep me company while we wait. I mean…"

She smiled brightly at him. "You're inviting me to wait with you and the rest of the senseis for the results of the test?"

"Well… yeah." And Kami could he sound any more pathetic. It's not like he fancied her, really. He was just being nice, wasn't he? On the other hand, why would he even care? But just the way her shoulders had dropped when he said they weren't training the next day… The decision to dismiss his team and invite her to spend the day with him tomorrow had been almost unconscious.

"I'd love to." And her bright smile when she said that made all of his confused feelings worth it.

He watched her Apparate away before making his way back to his apartment. He hadn't planned on dismissing his students early, so had nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon. _That's fine,_ he thought. _I have much to think about_.

The next day dawned and Kakashi met Hermione outside of her house. They walked in relative silence to the Academy, where there was a room set aside for the Jounin senseis to watch the first part of the exam. As soon as he felt his team approach he left her there with Asuma, whose team had already arrived to the designated classroom.

Hermione was uncomfortable. She knew Asuma from the few times Kurenai had taken her out drinking, but he spent most of his time talking to Kurenai, so she really didn't know much about him. There was also the fact that many of the Jounins gathered were shooting her weird glances. She wasn't stupid, she knew she dressed and looked nothing like a jounin—or a kunoichi, for that matter—and the others in the room must be wondering what she was doing there. Thankfully none of them approached her.

The door opened and she raised her head hoping Kakashi was back but it wasn't him. It was Kurenai. Frowning, for she was sure that Hinata was still recuperating from her injuries she was about to make her way towards her when the red-eyed woman saw her.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?"

She smiled slightly. "I could ask you the same thing. I thought Hinata was still injured?"

"She is. She's much better now, though. She left the hospital a few days ago and that cream for scars you gave her is doing wonders. Her hands still feel very stiff and she can't form hand seals as quick as she could before. It will take a few weeks but she'll be good as new. Also… I wanted to thank you."

"Hm?"

"For that other thing you did for her…"

It took a few seconds for Hermione to get what she was saying. "Oh, it was nothing really, a simple spell. She just looked so sad, I thought that might cheer her up." One of the many times Hermione had stopped to see Hinata she had found the girl crying in front of the mirror. Up until that moment she could've sworn Hinata cared nothing about her appearance, but she should've known better. Everyone cared. And Hinata now had to get used to the burn scar that covered part of her face. It wasn't too terrible, or it wouldn't be after the treatment was complete. Just a slight discoloration that most people wouldn't notice. Right now, though, it was very noticeable.

The other thing that had been damaged and the thing that Hermione had been able to correct immediately, had been her hair. Half of it was burned and charred and Hinata had been in the process of cutting it off when Hermione had walked in. In tears, she had told her that she had been growing it out after finding a picture of her mother with long hair, and now she had to cut it almost to the roots. Smiling, Hermione had told Hinata not to worry and after waving her wand around a few times, Hinata's hair was all the way down to her waist.

The shy girl had started crying again, this time in joy.

"It did." She sat down in the seat near her where Asuma was seated. Making light of it, Kurenai barely spared a wave at him before turning on her seat to talk to Hermione. Hermione resisted the urge to scoff. Why they insisted on maintaining the charade that they weren't together, she wouldn't know, but she was sure that both of them believed no one knew they were a couple.

For jounin level ninja, they were both rather naïve.

Though thinking about it, maybe that right there was the answer to her question. Kurenai must have been here to support her boyfriend as his genin took the exam. Just like she was keeping Kakashi company. Except it wasn't the same, because she wasn't his girlfriend. Why had he invited her again? Shaking her head—it wasn't as if she could guess the reason by herself—she turned back to her friend.

Kurenai was about to ask Hermione what she was doing there again when the answer to her question walked in the door.

"Yo." His voice attracted the attention of the two females and he gave them both a smile from behind his mask. "The exam is about to start, I sensed Ibiki and his team of proctors enter the room soon after I left." With that, he sat beside Hermione and stretched his arm along the back of the couch while his other hand pointed at the huge screen that had just come alive.

As they watched Ibiki explain the rules (10 questions, points deducted for cheating, etc.) his mind went back to the problem he had been pondering since the day before.

A problem which was currently sitting a few inches beside him. He took notice of the fact that his body had instinctively sat very close to her. So close that his knees were brushing against hers. As he leaned over to whisper the true purpose of the test (it had taken him less than ten seconds after hearing the rules to guess it) he couldn't help but notice the way she leaned a bit into him to hear him better.

He took a deep breath, taking in her aroma—some kind of flower and maybe vanilla? He had to repress a sigh. It appeared the conclusion he had arrived to yesterday had been correct. _Of course it was_, he thought. Now the problem was what to do about it? His realization that he was attracted to the witch had hit him like a sack of bricks the night before, but now, with her sitting beside her, he couldn't help but wonder how on earth had he not noticed before. Her words about the Sharingan's Curse came back to him then. _It also dulls positive emotions, such as joy and happiness. Love. Logic is the only counter to deep emotions, so until you overcome it, that will be your only defence._ Was that it? Had it been that thrice-dammed curse that had kept him from realizing how he felt before? It was the only explanation. He had taken a very logical approach the night before, preferring to sit down and think about every interaction he had had with Hermione, trying to discern why he had felt he needed to do something, say something, when she had been so disappointed when he told her they wouldn't be training today. He needed to get rid of that Curse soon.

So what to do about it? Or more to the point… _Did_ _he want_ to do anything about it? She was smart. Maybe as smart as he was, and given he had been hailed as a genius since he was five, that was saying something. She was also very beautiful. Even now he could see some of the foreign jounin stealing glances at her, though that might have been because she was obviously civilian.

There was also the fact of how his genin—namely Naruto—would react to the news that they were dating, if they ever got that far. He had already expressed a very negative opinion the week before when he had been doing nothing more than holding her back to ask for something.

This was why he had remained happily single all this time. Things were just so complicated. He was perfectly happy the way he was right now, wasn't he?

Yes, yes he was, and that was it. He would do nothing and this silly infatuation would fade in time.

No matter how smart, and pretty and funny… She giggled. _Kami I have it bad,_ he thought to himself as she leaned towards him to tell him what she was laughing about. Apparently Naruto had not yet divined the purpose of the test because he could be seen obviously panicking in the third row from the top.

"He'll be fine," he whispered in her ear. They hadn't gone over information gathering yet with his genin, but obviously the test wouldn't be graded—no time to go through all the tests—which meant that there was something about that last question that would determine whether they would pass or fail. He was confident that Naruto, and Sasuke and Sakura, would make it through.

The rest of the test went by like that. He would start thinking about how he would do nothing about his budding attraction and then she would do something—giggle, laugh, push her hair back—and he would be back at square one. Thinking of how cute she was when she giggled, and how her laughter was so relaxing, and how nice her hair smelled.

_Kami I have it bad_, he thought again.

She stood up to refill her glass of water and he was watching the way her hair swayed from side to side when someone clearing their throat behind him brought him back to reality. He turned to see Kurenai and Asuma both looking at him suspiciously.

"Nani?"

"What's going on between you two?" Kurenai's eyes narrowed a bit more when she asked the question. He shouldn't have been surprised, they were jounin and both her and Asuma were rather observant—if somewhat naïve about their own situation. So it was rather unsurprising that they would've picked up his unusual behaviour.

Still, he wasn't going to just spell it for them. "Nothing," and his words meant nothing, he could see, because at that moment she walked back to them—to him—and he could tell his smile, though unseen, could be guessed at.

So he liked her, so what? That didn't give neither Kurenai nor Asuma an excuse to act like 14-year-olds who suddenly got hold of a piece of tasty gossip.

It wasn't long after that that Ibiki halted the test and presented the genin with the 10th Question. Hermione was by now wringing her hands in her lap, nervous. He had explained that even if they didn't answer any questions this was the moment that would define whether they passed or not. So she was wringing her hands in her lap and biting her lower lip and he could _feel_ her anxiety rolling in waves out of her.

So he did the only thing he could as they watched team after team give up. He took one of her hands in his and squeezed. Her grateful smile more than made up for the ribbing he was sure to get out of Kurenai and Asuma later. And Gai, now that he saw the man only a few seats to their right his eyes fixed, not in the screen, but on their joined hands. With a raised eyebrow as if to say "comments?" he turned to Gai only for him to, thankfully silent, raise one hand, thumb up. His approval, he supposed.

Holding back another sigh, he turned back to the screen, not noticing how his fingers were slowly rubbing circles on her skin, or the way her own caressed his hand back.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

"Now before we start the second test there's something I have to pass out." The voice of the Exam Proctor cut across the muttering that had started soon after she had licked the blood off of Naruto's cheek. _Serves the baka well, being loud and attracting attention to us…_ Sakura couldn't help but think, though, that the proctor was not the only thing _wrong_ in the exams. That genin with the long tongue certainly felt way more dangerous than a genin. And the looks—bloodthirsty, cold, eager—on some of the other genins… it unnerved her.

She listened carefully to the rules: two scrolls, 15 of each type, no holds barred. Five days, no debilitating injuries, no deaths.

Waivers.

That sole piece of information terrified her more than anything else so far in the exam. Even after the mission in Wave, where they had faced an opponent far stronger than they, she had _known_ they would pull through. Kakashi-sensei—and Kurenai-sensei, too—would never have let them die.

Her head dipped when she remembered what a coward she had been. After Mahou-san had appeared and Team 8 had joined the fray she had stayed back. _Need to protect the client_, she had told herself at the time, but inside she knew the truth. She hadn't wanted to get involved. She hadn't wanted to fight. Hadn't wanted to risk dying.

She had almost quit being a shinobi right then and there after they got back to Konoha. It had only been Kakashi's assurance that she did the right thing, that she had not been prepared to fight like that, that had stayed her.

Faced now again with the possibility that they might die, that the place they were sending them into—without sensei—was so dangerous, that the other genins were definitely more prepared for this than her, that her desire to quit, to give up, rose again.

_"__Why did you apply yourself in the academy and choose this life?"_ Sensei's voice interrupted her thoughts as she thought back on the conversation they had had a little over a week ago. _"Why did you apply yourself in the academy and choose this life?"_

Why indeed. A week ago she had remembered her answer. She hadn't told him, he had said that as long as she knew, that was fine. And she did. _Because I wanted to be strong. Because I wanted to do something worthwhile. Because—like Ino had done to her one time—I wanted to protect those I care about._

So she looked to her right—Sasuke-kun, red eyes spinning, memorizing the map—and to her left—Naruto, his face set on a grin, always happy, always with a kind word to her, even when she didn't deserve it—and she knew, she _knew_ she had found her reason to be strong.

Her precious people to protect.

With a nod, she straightened up. She would walk into that forest with her head held high and she would come out the other side, her teammates with her, whole and alive and _ready_.

* * *

**~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~oO*Oo~**

* * *

On the other hand… She screamed as she jumped to dodge yet another attack from an older Konoha nin. The team wore something akin to a full body suit, all black. They must have pegged them for rookies and thought they were easy pickings.

And they would've been, had they not had Sasuke-kun and Naruto-of-the-Hundred-clones on their team. Her… not so much. But as the test required all three of them to be alive and well _and_ she was carrying their scroll… Suffice to say she was being looked after.

Sasuke-kun had looked very put out when they decided to let her have the scroll, she was weak, he had sais so to her face, and even though Naruto had defended her it lacked the usual candour. It was as if he just didn't feel she deserved to be defended as strongly as he used to.

For some reason, the thought made her sad.

She jumped away again, berating herself for getting lost in her thoughts. She sent back a kunai with an explosive tag attached, but her opponent dodged it easily. That was fine, he dodged left, where she could see a bunch of Naruto's clones hiding.

How the older ninja hadn't been aware of them, she didn't know, but she was thankful. He was soon subdued, overwhelmed by the numbers rather than skill, and joined his companion in the land of the unconscious.

Seeing he was the only one standing, the remaining nin set some smoke bombs as a distraction and by the time all three of them got free of it he had fled—taking his comrades and their scroll, with him.

They had little time to rest, though, for not two hours later they were ambushed by a single Kusa nin. As she watched Naruto get separated by a strong attack she couldn't help but wonder if this would be the fight where they would die.

The feeling intensified a thousand-fold when the Kusa nin hit the with her Killing intent. Sakura couldn't breathe. She saw her death coming, over and over again. She saw herself die in ways she had never even thought possible. It was like Zabuza all over again. Except much worse. She couldn't move, she could barely think. Then, out of the corner of her eye she saw Sasuke breaking out of whatever it was that had a hold on them.

The Kusa nin moved her lips, she was saying something, but Sakura was in no shape to process the words. Taking a deep breath, she realized that whatever it was the other nin was doing had ceased. Standing up, she took a kunai hand and threw it at the Kusa nin, while at the same time jumping to the side to take refuge behind the same tree Sasuke was in. She quickly took a mental catalogue of their abilities—her own coming woefully short compared to his—and came to the conclusion that they were screwed.

"Sasuke-kun…"

"Hn."

"She's… she's too strong." He looked at her then, a deadpan expression that conveyed more than any words—or grunts—he could've said. _No shit, Sherlock_. "I—If Naruto were here…" She tried to say that if Naruto were here he could provide a distraction. Spam clones until they could get away, but Sasuke's rage filled expression stopped her short.

"I don't need the dobe to fight her!" And with that he was off, sending three shuriken at the Kusa nin, followed by a Katon technique. Sakura, seeing no other option took to the trees in an effort to harass the other nin from a different angle. Since Sasuke wasn't leaving…

She quickly tied two explosive tags to a couple of kunai and sent them in the direction of the Kusa nin. One she dodged and the other was lodged at her feet, but half a second before it went off the enemy nin was already on the air, her own shuriken flying back at Sakura who quickly jumped to another branch to avoid them.

She took out another pair of kunai and prepared to fire, but she could barely follow the movements of Sasuke and the other nin. If she threw them, she risked hitting Sasuke as much as the other nin. She was startled when someone landed on the branch beside her. She turned to see Naruto, covered in a sticky _something_ grinning back at her.

"Sakura-chan, who're we fighting?"

She wanted to call him baka, but she had refrained ever since that day they had argued and he had run away from her looking so sad and broken. She still thought about him that way, though, just didn't vocalize it. "Some kunoichi from Kusa. I don't," she swallowed, nervous. "I don't think she's really a genin, Naruto…"

"No problem! Uzumaki Naruto, Future Hokage will save the day!" and with that, he was joining Sasuke spamming clones that the kunoichi took down with little effort.

By the fifth wave of clones even Sakura, who had known Naruto had enormous stamina had to rub her eyes incredulously. It seemed that the foreign kunoichi was as tired of it as Sakura was impressed, though, because she suddenly stopped moving, looking furious.

"ENOUGH!" Sakura saw her doing some hand seals, and she was only able to shout half a warning for her team to get away before the kunoichi was done and threw her arms forward towards them. "Futon: Great Breakthrough!"

Despite trying to anchor herself to the tree with chakra, the attack proved much too strong. She went flying backwards, hit a tree, and blacked out.

* * *

AN! Yay! Another chapter done! Hope you all liked it! A bit of a cliffie here at the end and this time I can honestly say... KuKuKuKuKu!

We see a bit of KaMione moving forward (one of them finally admitted his feelings to himself! Finally!) and a bit of how Kakashi's talk with Sakura affected her. She's still not all the way there, but she's improving. Somewhat.

Also, first serious repercussion in the story... Team 8 is not in the exams! *gasp* Poor Hinata-chan, being so sad D:

What will this do for the prelims? Will there be any prelims? Hehe, for me to know and you guys to find out... Next week!

Once again another reminder **poll **up until next Saturday! Vote for Sarutobi Hiruzen's fate!

Let's see how many reviews we have this time! We're starting at an even 150, so review away!

Cheers~!

C.

PS: We broke the 50k word barrier this chapter, yay!


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